Never doubt the ability of an animated family fun-fest to be fruitful and multiply. "Inside Out 2" is already this year's biggest hit with a "Barbie"-like worldwide gross already topping $1 billion—take that "Dune 2." Now the box office is lighting up again thanks to a fourth edition of "Despicable Me" that aims to make Minions of its competition.
Don't count it out. "Despicable Me 4," from Illumination Animation, basically repeats everything it did the first three times. To which kids I know would say, so what? Part 4 is everything you'd want in a summer laughathon and a surefire boost for a much-needed box-office rebound.
There's no better excuse to shake your sillies out than watching Steve Carrel, back in top form doing Gru—the bald-pated baddie turned goodie— in a voice once described as a cross between a Russian mafioso and a crazed Nazi.
It's been seven years since the last "Despicable Me" movie, so a catch-up is in order. Gru and wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig) have a new baby son, Gru Jr, to add to their bustling household of three adopted daughters, Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Madison Polan).
The baby looks just like daddy (sorry about that!) whose love for junior is met with open hostility by the infant. It's a sight gag that keeps on giving.
The bad news comes when Anti-Villain League honcho Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan) informs Gru that his arch rival Maxime Le Mal (a fabulously unhinged Will Ferrell)—a mutant blend of man and cockroach— has escaped from prison, vowing revenge on Gru and using his cockroach power to kidnap Gru Jr.
What are the Grus to do? Go into witness protection, of course, which means new identities for everyone. Will you buy Gru as Chet, a solar panel salesman? One who doesn't is Poppy (energetically voiced Joey King), the shifty teen next door.
Meanwhile, returning director Chris Renaud and screenwriter Ken Daurio get a new assist in the script department from the great Mike White, the mad maestro behind "The White Lotus" TV franchise. I'm bummed that "Lotus" fan favorite Jennifer Coolidge doesn't show up, but Sofia Vergara hams it to the hilt as Maxime's mysterious lady love, Valentina.
By now you're probably noticing the subplot and character pileup. which makes for a jumbled 95 minutes. Coherence isn't one of the movie's core strengths. Does it matter? Not much. The audience for "Despicable Me 4" comes in ready to giggle like crazy and will they ever.
As per usual, the Minions are a tried and tested recipe for nonstop smiles. These squealing, goggle-wearing yellow creatures of mischief— minus ears and noses—are again voiced for the ages by Pierre Coffin, who makes each of them a joy forever.
And this time we have the Mega-Minions, powered with elasticity and laser vision. They can even eat through walls. Trust me, that comes in handy. Naysayers can nitpick away at the things that don't quite work in "Despicable Me 4." But you'll be laughing too much at the things that do to raise much of a fuss. This kind of random lunacy is reliably hard to resist.