There was nothing quite like Despicable Me when it first came out in 2010.
In the competitive world of animation, the franchise has carved out its niche with a blend of goofy humor, a heartwarming family-oriented plotline, and memorable characters like Gru, the grumpy yet clever villain, and the Minions, whose endearing and distinct personalities have elevated them to iconic status in popular culture.
It did not suprise that the franchise has spawned sequels and spin-offs given the brand's popularity and widespread appeal among viewers beyond the young demographic.
Read: MOVIE REVIEW: Nothing so despicable about Despicable Me 2 at all!
The release of its latest sequel, Despicable Me 4, continues the adventures of Gru, his growing family, and the cheeky Minions. Its animation studio Illumination aims to capitalize on the success of the franchise's previous installments.
GRU MEETS HIS MATCH
Despicable Me 4 follows Gru (Steve Carell) as he comes face to face with an old and worthy nemesis in Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell), a snobbish madman with a deep passion for science and technology.
Meanwhile, we see a deep look at Gru's domestic life as a new dad to an infant boy, a husband to Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), and a father to adopted daughters Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Madison Polan).
Their quiet home life is disrupted as they are forced to move out and live incognito under false identities upon the orders of the Anti-Villain League (ALV) to protect them against Maxime who is out for revenge.
Moving to a new neighborhood presents unique challenges—and meeting new people, including a young and aspiring villain Poppy Prescott (Joey King), is inevitable as Gru and his family do their best to blend in.
Regarding the Minions, a select few are picked by the ALV for an experiment that gifted them with superpowers, branding them as the Mega-Minions.
Read: John Prats and Isabel Oli's "little Minion" Feather on the loose in Singapore
Was Maxime able to trace the whereabouts of Gru and his family?
And what role will Poppy play in Gru's life and this latest obstacle in the former supervillain turned ALV agent?
Where do the so-called Mega-Minions fit into the whole equation?
A WINDING PLOT THAT SOMEHOW STILL HITS ITS MARK
If reading the synopsis alone made you a bit confused, it is because the unfolding sequences can indeed make you feel a bit lost as you watch the film.
The variety of storylines makes this latest sequel come across as disjointed and all over the place, with the filmmakers seemingly cramming a lot of scenarios to fill its 90-minute running time.
For example, Gru's encounter and relationship with Poppy feels like an off-track diversion to his conflict with Maxime.
The Mega-Minions plot, meanwhile, ends up looking like a filler to cover the gaps and merely give the popular Minions their needed screen time.
However, Despicable Me 4 still shines with many moments—riveting action scenes and the Gru-Maxime Le Mal rivalry translating well onscreen—that reminds viewers why it has been an endearing franchise for years.
The silly humor remains sharp, and its wholesome, family-centric story and message are intact for viewers to appreciate.
Perhaps that's the magic of the entire Despicable Me franchise.
While it might seem like innovation is necessary to push the narrative forward in future sequels, its simplicity, familiarity with audiences, and offbeat humor continue to make it stand out and remain viable at the box office.
Despicable Me 4 is now showing in Philippine cinemas nationwide.