The sixth entry in the highly successful Despicable Me franchise, Despicable Me 4, arrives as a direct sequel to 2017’s Despicable Me 3. This time, the story follows the beloved reformed super-villain Felonious Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) as he returns to his alma mater, Lycée Pas Bon, for a school reunion. However, this is not just any reunion; Gru is undercover for the Anti-Villain League (AVL) to take down his former school rival, Maxine Le Mal (Will Ferrell).
Back in their school days, Gru and Maxine had a bitter rivalry, further inflamed after Gru’s unforgettable performance of Culture Club’s “Karma Chameleon,” dressed as Boy George. Maxine had planned to perform the same song in an identical outfit and was left humiliated, believing the audience would think he was copying Gru.
Now, Maxine has become a formidable villain, inventing a machine that can turn people into enhanced bugs. Gru manages to capture Maxine, but the victory is short-lived as Maxine quickly escapes from the AVL’s maximum-security prison with the aid of his femme fatale girlfriend, Valentina (Sofía Vergara). The duo threatens to take vengeance on Gru and his family.
In response to this new threat, the former director of AVL, Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan), emerges from retirement. He relocates Gru and his family—including his wife, Lucy (Kristen Wiig), adopted daughters Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), Agnes (Madison Polan), and son Gru Jr. (Tara Strong)—to a secure safe house in the affluent Mayflower neighborhood. Despite adopting the cover name “Cunningham,” the family struggles to blend in with their new surroundings.
Gru’s attempts to befriend his wealthy neighbor, Perry Prescott (Stephen Colbert), fall flat. Lucy’s efforts to fit in also backfire spectacularly when she accidentally sets a woman’s hair on fire at the local salon, ruining any slim chances of acceptance. Perry’s wife, Patsy (Chloe Fineman), invites the Cunninghams to a tennis game, but Lucy knows this invitation is no sign of genuine acceptance either.
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Meanwhile, the Prescott’s daughter, Poppy (Joey King), recognizes Gru and blackmails him into helping her steal the school mascot. The misadventures continue as only three of the beloved Minions (voiced by Pierre Coffin) accompany Gru’s family to the safe house. The remaining Minions are back at AVL headquarters, where Silas enrolls five of them in a program designed to create super-powered “Mega Minions.” The program ends disastrously as the Mega Minions unleash chaos under the pretext of helping.
The voice work is stellar, with most of the cast returning to reprise their roles. Romesh Ranganathan shines as Gru’s quartermaster, Dr. Nefario, while Chris Renaud has a blast voicing the tough-as-nails school principal, Übelschlecht. Ferrell and Vergara also deliver memorable performances. Some sequences, such as the one involving the Mega Minions and Swiss cheese, are particularly inventive and add to the humor and charm of the film.
Despicable Me 4’s runtime stands at 94 minutes, packed with nonstop gags and antics that leave the audience entertained. While the movie is undeniably fun, its relentless pace can feel overwhelming. By the time the credits roll, viewers might feel as though they’ve been bombarded with a ceaseless barrage of jokes. Though entertaining while it lasts, Despicable Me 4 may not resonate as a timeless classic.
Despicable Me 4 is currently delighting audiences in theaters worldwide, promising an amusing albeit temporary escape into the zany world of Gru, his family, and the ever-mischievous Minions.
