Gru, his family and Minion crew are back!!!
Yep, two years on from MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU, Gru (Steve Carell), Lucy (Kristen Wiig) and those ever-lovable Minions are back causing mischief and paranoid joy in Illumination and Universal‘s DESPICABLE ME 4.
A school reunion for the alumni of Gru’s old alma mater beckons for the main villain, but it is not the only reunion awaiting him. Old nemesis Maxine Le Mal (Will Ferrell), still as unconvinced by Gru’s own achievement of grabbing the Moon in an earlier adventure, but very much infatuated with latest squeeze Valentina (Sofia Vergara).
The reality is that Gru has been setting Maxine up for a capture by the agency he is involved and initially does succeed, but Maxine has a talent for fusing the cockroach with his own superlative power (trying to do his best Jeff Goldblum a la THE FLY 1986!) and despite being contained in a maximum security facility escapes to try to avenge himself against Gru by taking his new-born son Gru. Jr.).
Concerns over security for Gru, Lucy and the family lead them to be placed in a safe house elsewhere with new identities, but the neighbour’s daughter Poppy has plans for Gru to blackmail him – or risk his identity being revealed to the world on social media etc….
Essentially critic-proof and fans of the previous films in the franchise know what to expect from this ensemble of well-established and well-liked characters. Plot and story, with themes of family bonds and evolving relationships, are secondary to the ever funny and lovable shenanigans of the Minions, this time getting a bit of DNA-fusion and abnormal transformation.
In some ways, this film echoes the likes of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (a magic car!) and THE INCREDIBLES with elements of the superhero mandate here in full pelt. Animation is faultless with a cracking musical backdrop (songs by Pharrell Williams to make everyone ‘Happy‘) and other classic songs (with a dash of the TERMINATOR 2 theme thrown in).
Simple but involving entertainment for all ages.
DESPICABLE ME 4 opens in UK Cinemas from July 12, 2024.
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