MOVIE REVIEW: DESPICABLE ME 4

 

Gru welcomes a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who's intent on tormenting his dad. However, their peaceful existence soon comes crashing down when criminal mastermind Maxime Le Mal escapes from prison and vows revenge against Gru.

Director: Chris Renaud, Patrick Delage

Cast:  Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Pierre Coffin, Joey King, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Sofía Vergara, Renaud, Madison Polan, Dana Gaier, Chloe Fineman, Stephen Colbert 

Release Date: July 3, 2024

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi

Rated PG for action and rude humor.

Runtime: 1h 34m

Review:

Despicable Me 4 is light, colorful and breezy enough to entertain, thanks in large part to Steve Carell and Will Ferrell's voice work, but this entry proves to be far more forgettable.  Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage direct the film at a slightly manic pace by offering an overstuffed roster of characters and storylines which makes the whole story feel scattered.  The animation is still incredibly sleek with its bright, angular look which gives children and adults alike plenty of eye candy throughout.  Story wise the film's a overly busy for no reason which leave each story thread feel uncooked.  The addition of Will Ferrell as Gru's nemesis Maxime Le Mal works incredibly well especially when he and Carrell are throwing barbs back and forth at each out.  Ferrell, using a heavy faux French accent, is clearly having a ball voicing the character and the film would have been smart to make him the primary focus since the film works best when his character is onscreen.  The side story's about Gru's Wife and Poppy the aspiring teen villain next door who blackmails Gru, just aren't all that interesting in spite of Kristen Wiig and Joey King's best efforts.  The much advertised Mega Minion's also prove to be little more than seeding for a future spinoff as opposed to a fully formed storyline.  The standard issue minions are still good for a handful of laughs throughout which keeps the whole thing rolling along at a steady pace.  The Despicable Me franchise was never the deepest around but its always been fun, this fourth entry continues that trend but lacks the focus to be truly memorable.

C+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Non-Stop & Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to the cinema for the unlikely double-bill of Non-Stop and Mr. Peabody & Sherman.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know or have guessed from the trailers.

The schedule dictated that I start my day with Non-Stop.

Somewhere over the Atlantic, a Federal air marshal begins receiving threats to the passengers on his flight. When he's accused of having a part in the hijacking, he must keep them safe while trying to clear his own name.

I think everybody took one look at the trailer for Non-Stop and knew it was going to be another of "those" movies that Liam Neeson makes these days. A fair enough assessment, though I don't imagine they'd keep making them if someone weren't enjoying them. (But, then again, there's always Madea...) At any rate, Neeson plays Bill Marks on the same note he does Bryan Mills and John Ottway and Hannibal Smith, and, if you like that sort of thing (as I do), then you'll have a good enough time with it. His supporting cast is comprised of familiar faces: Julianne Moore, Michelle Dockery, Scoot McNairy, Nate Parker, Corey Stoll, Linus Roache, Anson Mount, an underused Lupita Nyong'o, and the suddenly ubiquitous Shea Whigham. No standouts here, Non-Stop is the kind of movie where you probably could have dropped any halfway competent actor into any supporting role and been just fine with Neeson at the helm.

Non-Stop does a terrific job of putting the viewer ON the plane, maintaining tension for the duration of its almost-two-hour runtime. Some of it is predictable and more than a bit hokey, but I was engaged throughout and the eventual resolution did surprise me. Believe me when I say, you won't be in any hurry to get on a plane after you see it!

Non-Stop runs 106 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of action and violence, some language, sensuality, and drug references."

Non-Stop is the Chinese food of the cinema world; you'll enjoy the hell out of it while it lasts, but it won't stick with you long.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Non-Stop gets five and a half.

My closer on yesterday's double-bill was the animated feature Mr. Peabody & Sherman.

Canine genius Mr. Peabody and his adopted human son Sherman must use the Wayback Machine to repair a time rift they created.

Well, dear Blog, regular reader(s) will know that I'm deeply in love with Dreamworks Animation, enough so that I even looked at an open clerical position with them last year. (Dear Employer: I'm not qualified to be their janitor. You're safe.) Even with my high expectations, Mr. Peabody & Sherman did not disappoint. The art and animation are bright, colorful, and sharp. Voice talent includes some notable funnymen (and women): Modern Family's Ty Burrell and Ariel Winter, Leslie Mann, Stephen Colbert, Mel Brooks, and Patrick Warburton. Allison Janney, Stanley Tucci, and Dennis Haysbert also turn up in supporting roles. The movie keeps up a solid pace and doesn't wear out its welcome, maintaining a good balance of kid-safe adventure and humor that's also fun for grownups.

Mr. Peabody & Sherman clocks in at 92 minutes and is rated PG for "some mild action and brief rude humor."

If the movie year generally goes Throwaway Season to Superhero Season to Awards Season, it's fair to say that the animated features are throwing down early this year.

Mr. Peabody & Sherman isn't quite the Lego Movie, but it's still good fun for the entire family.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Mr. Peabody & Sherman gets seven.

Until next time...

 

 

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