Despicable Me 4: From Box Office King to Contradictory Opinions
After the resounding success of Inside Out 2, it proved that Hollywood was on to make Despicable Me 4, despite the film receiving mixed reviews from critics.
Despicable Me 4 Achieves Impressive Revenue
Despicable Me 4 (director: Chris Renaud) is currently dominating the global box office, beating Inside Out 2, which has grossed over $1 billion worldwide. According to the latest figures, Despicable Me 4 leads the box office chart in North America with $20.9 million in just one day. In its first five days of release, the film grossed $229.5 million, surpassing Inside Out 2‘s $205.4 million in the same period.
The film, which debuted in 2010, has become one of the most profitable animated franchises with its story of Gru, a “supervillain turned hero,” and his ulterior motives to steal the moon using advanced technology. Despicable Me 4‘s $74.8 million opening weekend gross set a new record, though it fell short of the $107 million earned by its prequel Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022).
Afternoon Opinions About the Movie
Despite its impressive box office performance, Despicable Me 4 received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a score of 53% from 111 critics, while the audience gave it a 90% approval rating. This is the lowest score of the four films in the series, with the previous films receiving 80%, 75%, and 58%, respectively.
Critics from publications such as ABC News, Detroit News, and The Guardian praised the film, especially the fun Minions characters. Meanwhile, sites such as The Daily Beast and CNN criticized the film with negative reviews. Kyle Smith of the Wall Street Journal called the film boring and disjointed, while IndieWire felt the film felt like multiple episodes jammed into one show.
Plot and Featured Humor
Despicable Me 4 continues the events of the third film in the series, with Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) and his family living happily. Gru’s family welcomes a new member, Gru Junior, but their lives are threatened when the villain Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) escapes from prison and plans revenge. Gru must confront his old friend and protect his family with the help of the Minions.
The film retains the humor element, with funny scenes as Gru learns to take care of his children and gets used to his new environment. The Minions in this part experiment with serums and superpowers, bringing many funny and interesting stories. However, the film does not have a deep plot like Inside Out 2 or Kung Fu Panda 4.
Success of the Series and Predictions for the Future
Despicable Me was first released in 2010, telling the story of super-suited Gru and three orphaned sisters. The film cost $69 million and earned over $500 million worldwide. The sequels have been hugely successful, with Despicable Me 3 (2017) grossing over $1 billion and the Minions spinoffs all doing well at the box office.
While Despicable Me 4 was not well received by critics, it is still a summer box office hit and a solid entertainment for audiences. The technical issues and quality of content may improve in future installments, making this series worth paying attention to.
