I’ve honestly lost track of how many movies there are now in the Despicable Me series and all their different plots. I've never really been crazy about these films, but they used to at least have some energy. This fourth movie featuring Gru, though, is pretty disappointing. Younger viewers might still find it silly and fun, but something’s missing—it doesn’t have much heart. One of the consistent issues with the Despicable Me movies has been a tendency to keep adding more characters just so they can get famous people to do voices. This one follows that pattern. Sometimes bringing in new characters can give a franchise a boost, but here it feels like a chance to tell a better story was missed. For example, introducing a younger female character named Poppy as Gru’s partner in a heist could have been an opportunity for more depth. It might have made more sense, though, to see Gru teaming up with his teenage daughter instead. That would have shown how their relationship is changing and how he's growing as a dad. The movie also has this side plot where some Minions become a superhero team, but they’re only in the film for less than ten minutes. It feels like a wasted idea that could have added excitement and substance to the story. Plus, one of the main Minions, Ralph, is stuck on a vending machine throughout the whole movie, which basically turns his part into just a joke. This focus on new characters at the expense of established ones weakens any real emotional connection the story might have had. My son did enjoy it, which makes sense given how old he is, but these movies should also be enjoyable for the parents watching along. The earlier films managed to find a good balance between humor for kids and something clever for adults to appreciate. This one feels more like just a bunch of jokes put together instead of a story with any real emotional impact. If they make more Despicable Me movies, I think it’s time to end the series. But if they do continue, I'll wait until I can watch them on streaming because I don’t want to pay to see them in theaters. The charm that made the original films appealing to a wide audience seems to be gone, and unless there’s a big change in how these stories are told, future movies will probably feel just as bland.

Source on TMDB