The viewing experience of “Despicable Me 4” can be described as a Kafkaesque nightmare, with one of the main characters transforming into a roach. The film is a lengthy 95 minutes of convoluted and overlapping storylines presented with overwhelming audio-visual chaos that blends into a chaotic blur. This installment of the popular animated franchise, possibly the fourth or sixth, featuring the infamous Minions, lacks the enchantment and instead feels like a distressing visual overload. However, despite this, young children did eagerly gather to dance in front of the screen during the end credits, showcasing a different perspective.
Directed by the long-serving Minion handler Chris Renaud, alongside Patrick Delage, “Despicable Me 4” naturally follows Gru (Steve Carell), the proud supervillain with distinctive physical traits and a fascination with bananas. Gru now leads a settled life with his wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig), four children, and a pet goat, while also working for the Anti-Villain League. However, his domestic tranquility is disrupted when he captures an old classmate at the villainous Lycee Pas Bon (School of Villlany) reunion, leading to the emergence of a new enemy.
Gru’s old nemesis Maxime (Will Ferrell) assumes the identity of the Roach Man in his pursuit of harnessing cockroach power for global domination. After Gru apprehends Maxime at the AVL’s request during a prestigious alumni ceremony, Maxime vows revenge and escapes from prison. This forces Gru and his family into witness protection in the town of Mayflower.
The narrative unfolds into a fish-out-of-water comedy where Gru and his family adopt normal personas to blend in. Gru takes on the persona of “Chet” and obsesses over tennis to impress their upscale neighbors, the Prestons (Stephen Colbert and Chloe Fineman), while Lucy becomes a hairstylist named “Blanche.” The ensuing random family escapades feel like disparate short film concepts stretched into a feature-length production. Although well-intentioned, it seems like the screenwriters Ken Daurio and Mike White haphazardly threw ideas together without much consideration for cohesion. However, the target audience of children is unlikely to mind such inconsistencies.
Meanwhile, at the AVL headquarters, Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan) experiments on a group of Minions, injecting them with a super serum to create the X-Minions or “Mega-Minions,” each embodying powers reminiscent of Marvel superheroes. This addition of mutant superhero elements to the plotline seems like an eccentric fusion of Bond and superhero clichés, contributing another layer of complexity.
The character of Gru remains oddly endearing, serving as a driving force for the series’ continuation. The Minions carry a unique charm and their whimsical, somewhat mischievous humor resonates with children. However, this particular installment feels excessively noisy and lacking direction, suggesting a need to rethink the franchise’s direction. Perhaps Gru’s embrace of domesticity over villainy would provide a fresh perspective and tranquility for all.
MPA rating: PG (for action and rude humor)
Running time: 1 hour, 35 minutes
How to watch: In theaters
