3 Things Parents Will Love about ‘Despicable Me 4’

1. It’s Still about Family and Second Chances

Despicable Me, of course, is a franchise with family at the core. In the first film, Gru adopts three young girls as part of his scheme to become the world’s greatest villain, only to be transformed by their kindness and love. By the end of the film, his heart changes, and he becomes a reluctant hero. The sequels have followed his family journey: his marriage to Lucy in Despicable Me 2 and his friendship with his long-lost brother in Despicable Me 3. In the newest movie, we watch him bond with Junior. 

The film opens with a flashback scene of Gru attending the School of Villainy’s Class of 85 Reunion, where he is working undercover to nab Maxime, who receives the alumni award and then reveals his new superpower: the ability to turn into a cockroach. (He also has a ray gun that turns humans into those pesky bugs.) Soon, though, Gru and the members of the Anti-Villain League team up to arrest Maxime, but not before he unleashes a threat to Gru: “Mark my words. I will exterminate you!”

Gru and his family go undercover in Mayflower but—not surprisingly—are terrible at playing pretend. Gru forgets his children’s fake names. Lucy, supposedly a hair stylist, burns a client’s scalp. Their daughter beats up a martial arts instructor.

Their cover is fully blown when a neighbor’s bratty daughter, Poppy Prescott, confronts Gru about his true identity and threatens to expose him unless he helps her pull off a heist. Poppy, it seems, is a wannabe villain with the goal of stealing a beloved honey badger from the School of Villainy. Although the heist is mostly successful, it allows Maxime to find Gru and creates a clash of superskills. 

Despicable Me 4 continues the family-centric trend of its predecessors. It depicts Gru as loving his son in spite of their rough start and showing his deep love for his daughters, too. When he drops his oldest daughter off at school, his heart aches, and he worries that she may not find friends. When his youngest daughter is separated from her pet goat—the goat isn’t allowed to move to Mayflower—his heart breaks for her.

Like the entire franchise, the film masterfully weaves positive themes of adoption, the joy of family, and the transformative power of second chances throughout the plot. For Christian families, there’s lots to like.

Photo Credit: ©Universal

2. It’s as Funny as its Predecessors

The film is as funny as it is touching, thanks to the other stars of the show: the Minions. One gets stuck inside a Jello cake. Another gets stuck inside a vending machine. (He passes the time by reading a book, The Vending Machine Diet.) The Minions team up to change Junior’s diaper. (At this, they are impressively successful.)

A major subplot is the launch of the “Mega Minions,” a small group of Minions who are transformed into supposed superheroes thanks to a powerful “super serum.” One Minion can fly. Another one can eat bricks. A third one has elasticity powers. Of course, the plan quickly goes awry. They save a train from crashing but accidentally launch it in the opposite direction. They rescue a cat out of a tree but accidentally destroy adjacent property. And so on. 

The franchise employs the same type of slapstick humor that has made other franchises successful: Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, the Three Stooges, and even Home Alone. 

Gru’s antics are just as hilarious. We watch him awkwardly sing Culture Club’s Karma Chameleon at a high school talent show. In the movie’s closing moments, he awkwardly sings again -- this time Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule the World. 

Despicable Me 4 succeeds for families because it offers kid-friendly humor without pushing the boundaries. There are no major “Why did they include that?” moments. 

Photo Credit: ©Universal

3. It Introduces New Adventures and Villains

Some franchises lose their freshness as they expand. Thus far, the Despicable Me universe seems to be an exception. 

In the newest film, we get three new major characters: Maxime, who, we learn, has had a grudge against Gru since high school; Principal Übelschlecht, who is the leader of the School of Villainy and sets out to destroy Gru; and Poppy, who -- perhaps -- could be a friend or foe of Gru in future films. No doubt, other movies will follow. 

Unlike many other modern kid-focused films, the Despicable Me franchise has maintained a straightforward, family-friendly approach, free from cultural agendas and double entendres. Yes, we occasionally see a Minion’s bottom (that happens once or twice), but it’s more like a minor speed bump than a roadblock.

The newest film has no sexuality or coarse language. (The lone possible exception: Agnes tells her pet goat to “sit,” but he instead poops, to which she replies, “Lucky, I said ‘sit.’”) Its violence remains in the Looney Tunes realm.

Despicable Me 4 is a fun, family-friendly summer film with a sweet message about family. Here’s hoping Universal continues making them -- and that it stays on the kid-friendly path. 

Despicable Me 4 is rated PG for action and rude humor. 

Entertainment rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Family-friendly rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Photo Credit: ©Universal