Blu-ray Review: Despicable Me 4 (Collector’s Edition)

By John Corrado

The latest film in Illumination’s blockbuster animated franchise that began in 2010, Despicable Me 4 is largely about offering more of the same, which in this case can mostly be seen as a good thing.

By now, Illumination has this series down to a formula. But Despicable Me 4 still manages to deliver the same satisfying if familiar mix of cartoony action, goofy Minion antics, and some sweet family heart to give audiences just enough of what they want from this latest instalment.

Gru (Steve Carell) and Lucy (Kristen Wiig) have settled into a mostly stable family life with their girls Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Madison Polan). They also have a new baby boy, Gru Jr., who is taking after his dad despite struggling to bond with him (the Minions also tend to the baby like a mini Formula 1 pit crew, in one of the film’s more amusing little gags).

But they are faced with a new/old adversary in Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell, doing a French accent), a former rival of Gru’s from their villain school days at alma mater Lycée Pas Bon. Working undercover for the Anti-Villain League, Gru helps put Maxime behind bars at a school reunion, only for him to escape, forcing Gru and his family to be put in the witness protection program.

The family moves to Mayflower, a rich, gated community where they struggle to fit in. It’s here that the film introduces a bright new character in Poppy Prescott (Joey King, with a lisp), the daughter of preppy neighbours Perry (Stephen Colbert) and Patsy (Chloe Fineman). Meanwhile, they are being pursued by Maxime – who has given himself the powers of a cockroach – and his partner Valentina (Sofía Vergara).

The Despicable Me movies have established a very cartoony, anything-goes style to their humour, without any real deeper message or “agenda” behind them. The series has endured for this long and become such a modern staple precisely for these reasons. There is a universality to the humour, which comes mostly from characters falling down or getting slapped on the butt, or watching the Minions get into mischief. Even the Minion speak is pure gibberish that doesn’t need translation.

Director Chris Renaud (working with screenwriters Mike White and Ken Daurio) stage a variety of over-the-top set-pieces, including Gru stealing a honey badger, and five of the Minions being juiced up and given superpowers. It’s carried by a fun voice cast (led by Carell as Gru), getting to do goofy voices and clearly having a ball. In this way, Despicable Me 4 is all about simply giving viewers more of what they want and expect from this cartoon series.

Film Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)

Bonus Features (Blu-ray):

The Blu-ray disc boasts over an hour of bonus material, starting with the two amusing new short films Game Over and Over and Benny’s Birthday. The package ships with a slipcover.

• Game Over and Over (4 minutes, 19 seconds): The Minions find a magic video game controller and chaos ensues.

• Benny’s Birthday (4 minutes, 1 second): A Minion gets trapped in a Groundhog Day time loop.

• Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes (Play All – 14 minutes, 25 seconds)

Class of ’85 (2 minutes, 12 seconds)
Minions at the Reunion (1 minute, 41 seconds)
Minions at Home (1 minute, 2 seconds)
Big Day Out (2 minutes, 30 seconds)
Karate Round 2 (16 seconds)
Gru vs. Treehouse (51 seconds)
Defibrillator (28 seconds)
Mega Minions Mega Mix (3 minutes, 15 seconds)
Mega Minions in Lockdown (2 minutes, 9 seconds)

• Despicable Dialogue (3 minutes, 37 seconds): A highlight reel of the cast members riffing and goofing off in the recording studio.

• Meet the Cast (Play All – 22 minutes, 16 seconds): A surprisingly solid collection of featurettes focused on each of the main characters and the actors voicing them, letting them talk a bit about their process.

Steve Carell: Gru (3 minutes, 29 seconds)
Kristen Wiig: Lucy (3 minutes, 5 seconds)
Joey King: Poppy Prescott (3 minutes, 47 seconds)
Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Madison Polan: Gru’s Girls (3 minutes, 5 seconds)
Stephen Colbert & Chloe Fineman: The Prescotts (2 minutes, 19 seconds)
Sofía Vergara: Valentina (2 minutes, 40 seconds)
Will Ferrell: Maxime (3 minutes, 49 seconds)

• Making Of (10 minutes, 57 seconds): Takes us through developing the story for the fourth film, the different stages of animation, and how technology has advanced since the first one in 2010.

• Mega Minion Mayhem (4 minutes, 22 seconds): A look at the five mega minions and their unique powers.

• Rogues Gallery (3 minutes, 38 seconds): Takes us though the various villains introduced throughout the franchise.

• How to Draw (Play All – 12 minutes, 11 seconds): Head of Story Habib Louati teaches us how to draw the five Mega-Minions.