Moi, moche et méchant 4

This fourth film in the series crashes and burns on multiple levels. The story is a tedious slog, failing to capture the spark of the previous entries. The villain, unworthy of the franchise's legacy, is a bumbling disappointment easily defeated by a puppy. This lackluster antagonist makes the film an unenjoyable chore, especially for fans who invested time in the previous installments.

But the problems go deeper than a weak villain. The plot itself feels uninspired, and the film fails to recapture the magic that made the earlier movies so entertaining. It's a forgettable entry in a series that deserved better.

As I said above Despicable Me 4 will no doubt be a hit worldwide hands down but it didn't strike a chord in my books.

Pros Our lovable Minions doing what they do best which is wacky fun crazy stupid things which induces some laughs. I think the best cute thing was the baby Gru after the Minions. It was nice to see Gru for once a bit afraid and on the backfoot to protect his family.

Was lovely to see all the ex antagonists in the end from the series.

Cons I would say the plot is simple and predictable but the villain, although not a bad one was not as menacing and interesting.

Would have loved more of Dr Nefario.

Minion Superheroes were a treat to watch!

If it's not sacrilegious to say, I think this franchise is starting to run out of steam - the plot here isn't very original. The family "Gru" have a new child who doesn't much take to his father which only makes matters worse when arch-nemesis "Maxime Le Mal" - who is intent on turning everyone into cockroaches - escapes from custody bent on revenge on the man who put him in jail in the first place. Better safe than sorry, "Silas" relocates the family to a safe house where they have to pretend to fit in with the vacuous tennis club set, but one of that number - the feisty "Poppy" knows the secret and blackmails "Gru" into helping her pinch "Lenny" the badger from under the eyes of the diminutive "Principal Übelschlecht" at his alma mater. This adventure narks the headmistress and when she sees some video of the perpetrators, she's straight on to the phone with "Maxime" who hatches a plan to steal the baby and give him wings! The minions - and the newly formed and enhanced "Super Minions" - still manage to have some fun here as they discover their new home has a vending machine and an endless supply of popcorn, and there is some wit in the dialogue but the story itself is all pretty derivative and the animation looks a little too tired now. What was ground-breaking looks so much less now and the writing and characterisations are nothing special anymore. It does liven up for the last ten minutes, but the previously innovative and enjoyable mix of menace and mayhem has largely gone.

"Despicable Me 4" is a mixed bag that might leave some fans wanting more. The movie, which I rate a 5 out of 10, unfortunately feels like it cut corners, particularly in its action sequences. The fighting scenes, which are a staple of the series' high-energy style, felt noticeably truncated. This lack of extended action left a sense of incompleteness, making the film's pacing seem uneven.

However, the film is not without its merits. There are some genuinely funny moments that capture the charm of the series, reminding us why we fell in love with Gru, the Minions, and their antics in the first place. The humor, while sporadic, still manages to evoke laughter and maintains the whimsical spirit of the previous installments.

The plot, while serviceable, doesn't break new ground. It follows a familiar formula, which might be comforting for some viewers but predictable for others. The new characters introduced did not add much depth to the story, and the development of existing characters seemed stagnant.

Visually, "Despicable Me 4" maintains the bright and colorful animation style that the franchise is known for, which is a definite plus. The Minions continue to steal scenes with their slapstick humor, but even their antics can't fully compensate for the film's shortcomings.

In summary, "Despicable Me 4" delivers some laughs and retains the visual appeal of its predecessors, but it falls short in terms of action and character development. While it's an enjoyable watch for die-hard fans, it doesn't quite capture the magic of the earlier films in the series.

Despicable Me 4 is operating on fumes. Just like last time it's a bunch of random side plots that just gets it to feature length (credits included). Still, even when these films are operating at a lower level they really understand not to waste your time with another 90 minutes of zany, erratic slapstick that peaks whenever the Minions are on screen, which once again is not enough.

Steve Carell sounds less like Gru and more like himself with every new instalment but he's still the sole voice actor holding the whole thing together and in this one, he's broader than ever. Will Ferrell and Sofia Vegara very quickly earn the title of worst villains in this franchise (Minions films included) with grating vocal performances that go for caricature in very annoying fashion.

The Minions remain really funny even in small doses despite the fact that there's nothing here as memorable as their big musical number in 3. The Mega Minions are by far the best idea this one has as it allows the film to poke some fun at superhero movies and keep their dynamic fresh. They should've been in it so much more instead of being relegated to a small handful of scenes.

Chris Renaud's direction certainly gives the film a lot of energy with the hyperactive pace which can barely stay still. The opening offers the false promise of this one having some genuine stakes before quickly pivoting away from that and turning the film into the cinematic equivalent of a sugar rush which helps to keep things moving at speed even when the jokes aren't landing.