I watched the newest cartoon “Despicable Me 4”. Unfortunately, it can make a billion at the box office.

This week, the long-awaited fourth installment of the Despicable Me cartoon hits theaters worldwide, promising to bring us back to the world of our favorite characters and new adventures. Despicable Me first came out 14 years ago, and since then, the franchise has managed to win the hearts of millions of viewers.

The first episodes of the cartoon captivated viewers with a unique combination of comedic elements and a touching story. The main character, Gru, initially appears to be a sinister supervillain, but his character gradually changes when he becomes a foster father to three adorable girls. This transformation from villain to caring father won the hearts of the audience.

And, of course, the main feature of the whole cartoon is minions. These small, yellow, unintelligible creatures have become the real stars of the franchise thanks to their funny antics and comical situations. Their ridiculous and funny actions added a lot of humor to the film, which was especially enjoyed by both children and adults.

The Despicable Me franchise has achieved an impressive box office performance worldwide. At the time of writing,:

• Despicable Me (2010): $543 million.
• Despicable Me 2 (2013): $970 million
• “Minions” (2015): $1.16 billion
• Despicable Me 3 (2017): $1.03 billion.
• Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022): $940 million

In total, the Despicable Me franchise has grossed around $4.6 billion worldwide, making it one of the most successful animated franchises of all time. Will the fourth installment be able to do the same? We doubt it.

Now, 14 years later, the fourth part of this story is coming to the screens. Were the authors able to maintain a high level? Were they able to surprise and please their loyal fans again? We have already attended the premiere and are ready to share our impressions. Spoiler: everything is not so obvious.

Familiar heroes and an old story of confrontation

What is the cartoon about?: The story begins with the main character, Gru, enjoying family life with his three adopted daughters, as well as his newborn son, Gru Jr. However, their peace is disturbed by the news that Maxim Le Mal has escaped from prison and intends to take revenge on Gru. The main family is forced to move the family to a safe suburb where they must hide under new identities.

The main “villain” Gru, as always, remains the center of attention. His attempts to improve relations with Gru Jr. in the 4th part create many funny and touching moments. But often it seems a little forced. In essence, Gru Jr. is very much like his father: he is grumpy and dislikes Gru from the very beginning, which creates many funny moments in their interactions.

The dad vs. kid dynamic added as the emotional core of this part of the story is completely uninteresting. Jokes too childish.

The girls — Margot, Edith, and Agnes — have provided the cartoons with charm in the past, but their characters don’t get as much screen time in the new story as they would have liked. The franchise, which was previously built on Gru’s connection with his daughters, loses that connection, and the girls don’t get much opportunity to develop themselves, except in a few moments.

Gru’s old nemesis, Maxime Le Mal, is also back. He’s Gru’s former rival from school days, who has become half-human, half-cockroach. His goal is to kidnap baby Gru and brainwash him to get revenge for past wrongs.

Overall, there are no strong characters who radically change the impression of other heroes of the story, as, for example, it was in the recent “Puzzle 2”. There, the hero Anxiety turned the game upside down. Here, we see a banal continuation of old thoughts.

The plot is often incoherent, unimaginative and suffering from a very weak, stupid villain. The introduction of new characters generally has little impact on the overall story arc and can be disappointing.

There is a suspicion that the story is overloaded with plot lines, deliberately switching from one to another every time there is a minimal risk that someone in the audience might get bored. In fact, each plot line is just an excuse for jokes and nothing more.

The minions, as always, are the main stars

Among the new ones, it is worth highlighting the Mega Minions – five minions who received superpowers thanks to experiments.

After injections – something like a super soldier serum in the history of mankind Mega Minions, who carry the funniest moments and funny mini-sketches of the cartoon. This is a really worthy parody of superheroes in cartoons.

Essentially, Mega Minions are like the famous “supers” from the TV series “The Boys”, if they were funny idiots, and not corrupt scum with mixes of gods.

While the minion storyline is perhaps the least significant in Despicable Me 4, I’m sure it’s the one that gets me excited. greatest response from the listenerThe Lighting Council is considering another spin-off. Plus, it’s a brilliant marketing ploy because the toys won’t sell themselves.

Softness evokes a feeling of nostalgia, but discomfort

Chris Reno, director of the first two parts of “Despicable Me”returns to direct, and his influence is clear throughout the film, with consistent good humor and outright buffoonery. The jokes are aimed at a kid-friendly audience, so don’t expect the sophisticated humor of “Puzzle 2.” This isn’t Pixar.

The film still retains the engaging and curious visual style that has characterized the entire franchise. The animation of the film is bright and dynamic.as usual.

A soundtrack featuring 80’s hits like Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and Culture Club’s “Karma Chameleon” adds a nostalgic charm that adults will enjoy.

The film also features obvious references to The Incredibles and the Mission: Impossible film series, and these elements create some of the most memorable visual gags in all of Minions history.

Watch, but not for everyone

Overall, Despicable Me 4 is a decent entry into the franchise that will entertain younger audiences, but doesn’t offer much depth. The film seems more like another commercial project than an attempt to add something truly important to the story of Gru and his family.

While other animation studios create deep emotional scenes, the coverage comes from simple jokes. For some this will be enough, but for many it will not be enough emotionality and touching moments.

For studios, coverage is a clear priority – box office receipts and billions of dollars, as in previous parts, can very well fill their accounts, because many children prefer something simple and uncomplicated. And this is sad.