Despicable Me 4
Despicable Me 4
Stars: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Pierre Coffin, Joey King, Miranda Cosgrove, Sofia Vergara, Steve Coogan, Stephen Colbert, Chris Renaud, Madison Polan, Dana Gaier, Chloe Fineman and Will Ferrell
Director: Chris Renaud
Scriptwriters: Mike White and Ken Daurio
Composer: Heitor Peneira (score) and Pharrell Williams (songs and themes)
Universal Pictures
Rating: PG (be aware of comic violence and themed material)
Running Length: 95 Minutes
2024 may turn out to be The Summer of the Minion. The rotund creatures who speak a language from who-knows-when-or-where, are back on the screen in “Despicable Me 4.” If this film happens to be the first “Minion” film you have seem, there is a plethora of films preceding this one to enjoy. My favorite being the Minion movie where the first 20 minutes of the film details their existence from day One (caveman) to present time. Pierre-Louis Padang Coffin is the voice of the Minions and Steve Carrell is the voice of Dru, the retired villain (oh, yeah?) who is the Minion protector and owner, Director Chris Renaud (directed the first two films in the series) is back. The comedy here is slapstick, for sure.
“Descirble Me 4’s “plot has villainy afoot, Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) who meets Dru (Steve Carell) at a class reunion and shows he carries an offense against Dru for years. From here on, Maxime is after Dru to the extend Dru has to take his family and go into hiding. This includes wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig), and adopted daughters Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) Agnes (Madison Polan) and new son, Dru, Jr. who hates his father. What is dangerous about Maxime? Well, he has invented a cockroach machine that turns people into cockroach hybrids and his army. In the meantime, Dru has problems in the new setting with Poppy (Joey King) a teenage-villain-on-the-make who blackmails Dru into helping her steal a school mascot, a honey badger, and what a chase that is.. And so it goes, with one chase after another, Minions are everywhere, though five of them are now transformed into super heroes, and plenty of laughs and changes of clothing.
Though the characters are well sketched on screen, it is voices that make the film. Fans will remember Steve Carell (Dru) especially, Kristen Wiig’s Lucy and Dana Gaier’s Edith, oh, yes, and Romesh Ranganathan as Dr. Nefario, Dru’s scientist. The voices have to go precisely with the screen characters and it does.
What makes this franchise so popular? First, it was unusual at its time and still is. Round characters, some with one eye, are always getting into mischief that is not of their doing, and yet come unscathed. Second, their loyalty to Dru and third a language that as yet has not been deciphered
What you learn from this film is to be aware of pouf chairs, hypodermic needles and to see humans do slapstick stunts. For more slapstick humor, try the Peter Sellers film series of Inspector Clouseau. While I am writing this, there is a Minions pen on my desk next to a Minions notepad. The script is witty and gives the actors material to work on and this goes along with the music score by Heilor Pereira and songs by Pharrell Williams. This film is a summer gem
Four Tocks
Copyright 2024 Marie Asner
