Xtreme Vogue London Desk: Donna Robert
Despicable Me 4 (English) Review {3.5/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Steve Carell, Will Ferrell, Pierre Coffin, Kristen Wiig, Joey King
Director: Chris Renaud
Synopsis:
DESPICABLE ME 4 is the story of a man trying to protect his family. Gru (Steve Carell) attends the reunion party of his 1985 batch at his alma mater, Lycée Pas Bon. Gru, however, has not just gone to socialize with his classmates and have a good time. He is sent there by the Anti-Villain League (AVL) to nab Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell), who has transformed himself into an insect and has dangerous plans. After a lot of difficulties, Gru, the Minions and AVS officials manage to arrest Maxime. Maxime is kept in a high-security prison and yet, he manages to escape. Before running away, he sends a message to Gru that he’ll take revenge on him and his family. Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan), a retired director of AVS, who is brought back for this mission, asks Gru and his family to shift to a safehouse in a sleepy, elite town named Mayflower. Gru, his wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig) and the kids are given new identities and professions. They struggle to adjust to their new surroundings. Trouble arises when Gru’s neighbour Poppy Prescott (Joey King), who’s an aspiring villain, recognizes Gru and starts blackmailing him. On the other hand, Maxime is moving heaven and earth in trying to find Gru. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Story Review:
Mike White and Ken Daurio’s story is fantastic. Mike White and Ken Daurio’s screenplay is filled with a lot of entertaining and maddening scenes which will be loved by the fans of the franchise. The dialogues are hilarious.
Chris Renaud’s direction is simple and has several plus points. To begin with, the film’s run time is just 95 minutes and yet, there’s so much happening. There are multiple tracks running simultaneously – Gru trying to blend in the new town, Maxime trying to locate Gru, the kids adjusting to the new life, Lucy struggling at work, the neighbourhood kid adding to Gru’s woes, etc. On top of it, there’s a track of the Minions as well. In fact, the latter doesn’t exactly drive the narrative. But still, they are the life of this series and contribute to its success. A few scenes stand out like Maxime’s arrest, Lucy’s chase in the supermarket, Gru’s youngest baby scaring him in the car, the heist conducted by Gru in the second half, etc.
On the flipside, the climax is a downer. The fight with the villain could have been longer. Also, the villain track ends abruptly. The singing contest scene is lovely but because of it, the film doesn’t end on a high.
Review Performances:
The voiceover by Steve Carell is very entertaining, as expected. Will Ferrell comes next followed by Joey King. Kristen Wiig, Stephen Colbert (Perry Prescott) and Chloe Fineman (Patsy Prescott) do well. Sofía Vergara (Valentina) is underwhelming; one expects a lot from her, but her character hardly gets any lines. And finally, Pierre Coffin is too adorable as the voice of the Minions.
Other technical aspects:
Pharrell Williams’s music is funky, especially the song ‘Double Life’. Heitor Pereira’s background score enhances the entertainment quotient. The animation is superior, and the makers have even worked on the 3D element. Tiffany Hillkurtz’ editing is sharp.
Conclusion:
On the whole, DESPICABLE ME 4 delivers as per the expectations of the fans of the series. At the box office, the film might surprise and emerge as the biggest grosser of the franchise.
