"Despicable Me 4": A Bridge Between Installments and an Advertisement for Merchandise
General Reviews
It's been 7 years since the release of "Despicable Me 3" in 2017, and in "Despicable Me 4," the protagonist Gru has another child, with the narrative of the film unfolding based on this life change.
As a family-friendly comedy film for the summer season, "Despicable Me 4" is worth watching in the theater.
The film essentially continues the excitement of the previous installments, with the plot and character settings maintaining an imaginative charm. Thematically, it continues to satirize superheroes, focusing on the unconventional behavior of supervillains, with unique plot and character designs.
However, the ending of the film feels a bit rushed. Although it features the delightful return of many characters from the previous movies, the segment where all the villains have a grand reunion in prison, acting like one big family, feels disconnected from the main plot of the film and the storylines of the previous installments. This part seems to be trying too hard to create a highlight.
Additionally, "Despicable Me 4" does not escape the common challenge of sequels struggling to shine. The film seems somewhat lacking in continuing the story and developing the characters of the supervillains.
Fortunately, the film opens up new imaginative story spaces, introducing several fresh characters. For example, a villainous girl, Gru's villainous baby, and more Minions, paving the way for future works. Whether it’s spin-offs featuring the villainous girl or baby, or sequels to the "Despicable Me" series, there is ample narrative space to explore.
Most importantly, the new characters also provide rich imaginative possibilities for the entire "Despicable Me" IP's merchandise business. In fact, "Despicable Me 4" and the series sell not just movie tickets, but also serve as advertisements for the entire IP's merchandise, acting as its endorsement.
After all, nothing makes audiences more willing to purchase merchandise featuring the adorable Minions than a movie that creates a pleasant visual memory.
In conclusion, as a popcorn movie for the summer season, it is a good choice. If the perfect score for a movie is 100, "Despicable Me 4" can score around 70, making it a decent family-friendly film.
Among the summer releases, whether you're a fan of the Despicable Me series, looking for a relaxing movie experience, or wanting to take your kids for a fun outing, this film is a viable option.
Regarding the entire Despicable Me series, as of now, five movies have been released: "Despicable Me" (2010), "Despicable Me 2" (2013), the prequel story "Minions" (2015), "Despicable Me 3" (2017), and today’s release of "Despicable Me 4".
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