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The girls not aging is criminal in my opinion. The girls growing up would bring different challenges for Gru with could be very compelling to watch. Margo could go through high school drama and Gru wouldn't know how to handle it, Edith could become rebellious and teach Gru patience, Agnes could maybe mature a little bit so she could contribute more to the story.

how are we supposed to have the girls not aging yet suddenly we now have a baby, is the baby going to stay a baby forever???

Also I think u could've done a good storyline where the girls are insecure about Lucy and Gru having a biological child since they're adopted and that's a legit thing that happens in the world where the oldest child/children were adopted because the parents thought they couldn't have biological children/wanted to adopt first then they get a surprise child and the adopted children feel insecure because this child is blood to the birthparents vs them who were adopted.

The director saying he wanted the franchise to be like the Simpsons showed how out of touch the studio is

"We don't want to age up the characters" means: Why spend more money on new models if we already have the ones from the first movie.

For me, "We don't want to age up the characters" just translates to "We don't want our movies to have any interesting conflicts that audiences could relate to"

Poppy literally looks like Gru and Lucy's lovechild. When I first saw her in a promo, I thought she was Gru's daughter grown up until I saw that the girls haven't aged.

The juxtaposition of Despicable Me 4 and Inside Out 2 being in theaters at the same time and the huge difference in how they treat their audience is both fascinating and pretty sad.

At this point the writers are stuck with "ze gorls." I'm surprised they haven't been sent away to boarding school yet.

The perfect example of just how little this franchise cares about Gru's daughters is when Margo gets back from the first day at her new school with a bunch of glitter all over her and tells Gru that she's being bullied. And... that's it. We never see those bullies. She never mentions it again. We never get any sort of resolution to her problem. That's literally all we get. But hey, look, kids! MORE MINIONS! Laugh! Laugh! Forget about the human characters! They don't matter anymore! Look, that Minion just got pooped on! Hahahaha! Isn't character regression fun?

Honestly, this felt like a weaker version of the third movie.

This felt like a Despicable Me Tv show where 6 episodes were sticked together to make a movie

The kids worked well in the first movie because they were kind of the catalyst for Gru to change, it was about Gru struggling to maintain his evil plan when he also wants to give these children a something he never had: a childhood. If they grew up I feel like they could do something interesting with that, I actually like the Edith wanting to be a villain idea because it sounds interesting. And the minions remind me more of bananas even more, because when they expire they expire hard.

I feel like Gru became really flat and boring as a character after the first film because nothing really happens to instigate a big change in him. Like in the first film, he accidentally softened up to the girls after they accepted him in the scene where he blows up the fairground stall, and he pretty much had a gradual change of heart from there. The second film kindaa gave him some growth in that he shouldn't throw away opportunities because of his bad past experiences, but it pretty much tipped off from there. It'd be really interesting if we had a film about the girls aged up to teens, and gru as a father would have to adapt to that change. Not only would a lot of fathers relate to that, but we'd finally get to see some growth in our main character after several years lol.

In a discord server with some kids i’m going to go to college with, one of them said that they watched this under the influence of some substances, and yet still couldn’t find it funny. If you can watch a COMEDY movie while drunk and/or high, and NOT find anything in it funny, that’s the mark of a bad comedy.

Watch Despicable Me 1, then watch Despicable Me 4. The difference between their writing is shocking. The contrast really highlights what all of Illumination's movies have been since Despicable Me 1. Actually don't watch this movie.

Feel like this franchise would have been better if it was like those ProZD skits about “a really evil guy but a really good dad” where gru actually got to be you know…despicable

My first thought: oh, this movie came out?

The movie should’ve definitely aged up the cast. Make Gru’s son a kid and not a baby so the two can have an actual relationship. Age up the girls and make Edith a villain that works with Dru (who would still be relevant because the 3rd film left off on Dru taking the minions to continue doing villainy and Gru being gleefully ready to take him on.) I’d also bring back the old villains to do a super villain team up, which would’ve been a FAR better reason for Gru and his family to go into witness protection. Also have Gru hating his new life in a funny gag montage instead of starting plot lines that’ll never get solved. Keep the plot focused. Dru is doing bad and Gru is trying to keep him under control while also trying to not be caught by his past villains who are seeking revenge. With Dru being manipulate to help the villains trap Gru, with Brad saying “he’s changed his ways” or something to avoid a plot hole. And have a big final battle where Lucy is fighting say El Macho, Dru is fighting Brad, Agnest, Margo, and the Mega Minions fighting the vicious 5, and Gru, Edith, and Gru Jr fighting Scarlet and Vector. It would be an avengers style finally, and even though it would definitely not be the end of the franchise, it would lead the franchise into a new era. With Gru Jr being the next Gru and carrying the next line of movies. I have this whole thing in my head, I believe this movie could’ve been a really satisfying film for Despicable me Fans. So yeah, that’s my take!

7:07 remember kids don’t blackmail your parents, but if it’s your neighbors it’s perfectly fine.

You know what would’ve made more sense? Have Gru’s brother Dru take an older Edith and teach her to be a villain, so that the family can actually do something. But I guess that’s asking too much.

So just from hearing the premise, I don't understand why Gru and his family have to go into witness protection. The man has a veritable army at his disposal, as well as an assortment of weapons and scientific gadgets. Hell, he and his family took on a whole army of nigh-invincible, mutated Minions, and El Macho, and came out on top. Why would he ever be worried about some guy he knew back in school?

Add Gru jr. to the list of cartoon babies that writers will refuse to age up(Maggie, Stewie, Poof, etc)

Let's be honest, "4" in a movie title is usually bad news

Notice how this only comes into question in the 4th movie? That's because the previous three movies weren't stupid enough to bring attention to any time gaps. Despicable Me 4 introduced a _flipping baby,_ which immediately makes the audience notice the time jump and go "wait, why are the girls still the same age then?"

Despicable Me writers, you have run out of potential character types to add the Grumily. Either Gru has a secret uncle or aunt, or you develop the most important characters to Gru’s story.

Despicable Me 4 feels like a bunch of TV show episodes strung together, with how nothing of substance happens or even matters. What’s more, is that the movie is incredibly short by consequence. By the time Gru Jr was being captured, I thought we were in the middle act, but no, IT WAS THE CLIMAX. What the heck??

I really like poppy. One thing I hate about these movies is that most of the toys end up being the minions while brand new characters like poppy only get 1 little figurine 😢

having the girls grow up and become rebellious teens has so much potential

With how this movie ended, it felt like a conclusion to the franchise. But this is a cash cow for Illumination, so there’s most likely gonna be more.

It irks me that they didn't give the girls older designs. It would shown how far Gru has come with his family and also work along with the VAs getting older as well, the original one for Agnes got completely replaced for a younger actress because of it. It didn't have to be a decade gap, but a little progression would have been nice to see.

No joke, I was watching it in theaters yesterday and by the time the climax rolled around my first reaction was "wait, that's it?"

My reaction was: Was anyone asking for a fourth movie?

From the trailer alone I had a feeling this movie would be incredibly lukewarm. They did the thing of showing only gags and no plot in the trailer and that gave it away to me that NOTHING interesting would happen.

I've known this series was going to crash and burn the moment they gave Gru a love interest in the second movie. I like Lucy and their dynamic, but a narrative about a single dad is one you almost never get in kids films, and I feel like if the series had focused on him and the girls as they grew up, balancing good and evil, it would been way better than the 3 uninspired Nuclear Family Movies we got. I fully expect Despicable Me 5 to be about the family adopting an evil cat or something at this point.

Watching the ending scene where all villains are in prison, I realized the insane wasted potential this franchise could’ve had with Vector’s father. Vector’s father could’ve been the big bad of this franchise. Using the resources from the bank to hunt down Gru in revenge for his son who got stuck on the moon. That way the witness protection plot could’ve been better.

I feel like one of the main reason why the first one worked so much better is because the MC was an actual villain. Our protagonist was evil, which is so much more interesting. But ever since the second movie, Gru has been a good and morally acceptable person.

It's always the fourth sequel, it's always gotta be the fourth sequel..

I think it’s funny how as the movies go on, the characters just become decorations with no goals or development of any kind. It’s pretty obvious they’ve run out of things to do with the girls and Lucy because they only time they use them is for a stupid joke

I still can’t believe Gru never had a heart to heart with Margo after that boy from Despicable Me 2 ditched her for someone else. That, and Margo and Poppy got no time to bond!

My biggest gripe is that they can MAKE films because the first Despicable Me film was legitimately good. Unfortunately the machine claims another

I completely agree with on the Edith thing, she has SO MUCH POTENTIAL! Remember in movie 2 when she was going through a ninja phase. WHY NOT CONTINUE WITH THAT!? Have her be an aspiring ninja/assassin as he gets older that would be awesome!

Just looking at the thumbnail, this is exactly the reaction I was hoping for from the viewing world for this. Illumination is running their own ideas into the ground for the sake of profit.

This franchise had its fun, but now I think it’s time for it to step aside.

Now that I think about it, making the girls grow up and making each movie showcasing them at a different point in their lives would be an EXCELLENT way to make the Despicable Me sequels have the same focus on family struggles as the first while still having the opportunity to tackle new conflicts. I would respect this franchise WAY more if each movie actually changed the status quo in any significant way, but besides Lucy which I really like, that hasn't really happened at all.

this really WAS a movie, that DID in fact come out

I'm still frusturated how a movie series called Despicable ME has only had the main character be despicable for one movie.

Original title: Despicable Me 4 is so boring Second title: Despicable Me 4 is Boring: Let the Despicable Me Girls Grow Up

If I were CEO of illumination, I’d hire you to write Despicable Me 5 right now.

From just seeing the trailers, I'm really confused how the girls haven't seemed to age like at all. For the other movies, they could reasonably take place over a couple of weeks or months. But 4? Nine months plus maybe another six from the least? You would think they would have had the girls grow up a little or develop their character. Edit: Just realized Cell talks about this in the video. Just logically (lmao logic in a Illumination movie), it doesn't make much sense if you can have a baby, but the girls stay the same. Like, why?!

The girls in Despicable Me: Don't age at all in 14 years The Overkills from Minions: Hardly aged a day in nearly 60 years

"Emoji movie was more narratively compelling than this" Oh crap. Has Hell frozen over? ANY movie being less narratively compelling than Emoji Movie should NOT be universally possible.

I feel like half of this movie was just “because” Like the mega minions did literally nothing and they were marketed to death 😂

I've been saying to friends of mine that the Despicable Me movies after the second one just feel like a cartoon episode or TV special that have no idea what to do with the extra runtime

To me the most unrealistic part is Gru who can dodge and tank missiles point blank has to go into witness protection even after defeating 3 extremely popular and powerful villains in every other movie.

Personally, I don't even like how the simpson's ages are frozen in time, it makes it weird when they use do things that are particular of specific generations (WW2 grandpa, post-Vietnam baby boomer parents, rebel 90's kids, etc.) are now doing things of younger generations; which in turn forces them to change what their characters are. Also, like with this film, we don't see them develop with age, they have to keep doing the same shtick over the years.

The "Illumination & DreamWorks are better than Disney" people have gone quiet since this came out.

This film feels like a TV show season that was turned into a film

This is why I’m glad that Inside Out 2 is easily beating Despicable Me 4 at the Box Office as it’s a much better sequel that was actually worth the wait!

It’s funny how Kung Fu Panda and Despicable Me released their fourth installment this year and they were both extremely disappointing

Eeyup, this franchise is now Cocomelon. Yaaaaaay. Ugh, I feel so bad for the girls, with every movie they get less and less to do.

There were some scenes, such as the Karate class scene or the scenes with the hair salon lady that did not really add anything to the story and could've been cut.

When you were talking about that part about the girls never growing up, it made me think of the Despicable Me short 'Training Wheels' when Agnes gets that superpowered bike and chases down an Ice Cream Truck. I thought, 'Little miss takes after her parents.'

The sad thing is the witness protection and having to have new identities is an interesting concept. They could have focused on that and the characters reactions. Maybe Lucy and Gru have different solutions for that. And the villain beeing a former classmate of Gru also could work. Maybe some of Grus past is unsettling or their could be parallels to Margots bullying.. But yeah that's dipical illumination to waist potential. Maybe the Box office will be bad cause inside out 2 and they ll rethink there strategies..

I haven’t seen this movie yet, but this franchise needs to die already. It’s turning into Illumination’s “Ice Age”. The only good movies in the “Despicable Me” franchise are the first two.

It’s an Illumination film, I don’t know what anyone was expecting

Would it better if there was a Despicable Me TV show so that we can fully explore each of these properly?

Question; when did the minions go back to Gru? Didn't they leave to join Dru?

They should’ve had all the past villains team up against Gru and the minions (kinda like how Regular Show did in Exit 9B) cause it would actually justify the need for the Mega Minions being relevant and they could’ve had an endgame like climax where all the minions fight the past villains and Gru faces off against Vector one last time also they really should’ve had the girls age and becoming more distant as most Kids do when they’re older from Gru and Lucy while they try to bond with them more as Parents do when their children seemingly become more distant

My problem was definitely the pacing, too many things that could have been expanded in a fun way so easily (Margo’s experience at school etc) I feel like it would have made a much better tv series, more time for side plots to actually GO somewhere. Would they ever have made this a show? Absolutely not. Should they have? Maybe

Their movies may be mediocre but let’s be honest, their animation is GORGEOUS.

Seems like this whole movie would’ve been better as serialized KZfaq shorts.

I think it's funny how the movie's main song simultaneously makes no sense with the movie's plot whatsoever and also implies a significantly more interesting plot that might have existed when the song was written. There is *a* scene where Gru kind of acts villainous (And even then, he's technically still helping the AVL). He's not living a double life where he has to balance something he doesn't want his family to learn about while keeping the appearance of a family man, he's the same guy his family already knew. The literal only way the song would make sense would be if it was written from the neighbor's perspective but that's so hyper specific. Maybe it was planned for Gru to either continue to get blackmailed throughout the entire movie or for whatever reason go back to villany while having to maintain his cover. The movie was probably going to be about something before the executives came in and said to include more "funnies" for the audience. On a sidenote, the ending kind of makes me think this is the end of Despicable Me, or at least most of Gru's family. Obviously the Minions aren't going anywhere as long as they keep making money (So basically until the collapse of humanity) but I think Illumination will shift into an actual Minions show instead of just movies, sort of like how Megamind went. It's clear that's what they've wanted to do for a while with DM3 and SLOP 2 basically being a couple of episodes frankenstined into a movie and DM4 continues that style. It would probably be significantly more efficient and cost-effective and I'm sure Netflix would accept Illumination with open arms.

It really was like cartoon episodes cut between eachother

Inside out 2 = The kind of movie I actually went to the cinema for Despicable me 4 = The kind of movie I'd watch when I go to poop

You know who else doesn't age up at all? The villains from the Minions movies at the end. That part reeked of laziness and asset reuse.

Hope minions 3 is better with a teenage gru

As far as I can tell the plot is the same. villain wants payback on gru for something. Minions do stupid shit etc etc

The only reason I want to see this movie is because I heard there was a spiderman 2 reference 😭

Ilumination: a animation studio... And thats it, animation

Wait so.. Gru & Dr. Nefariou did age but Agness isnt allowed to age? Did the moon shrinking stop all aging. Is the sun going to die or not?

To be honest, this movie felt like an episode of an animated series.

You must not have seen the trailers, this is the FUNNIEST movie of the summer!

I totally agree with you. Universal has to stop milking this franchise and bring Woody woodpecker back on the mainstream.

I liked this movie but there’s some problems. There should be more Villain and Mega Minion senses. I would have gotten rid of the karate and grocery scenes and replaced it with Maxime going to AVL to find the information on Grus location but he has to fight the Mega Minions to get in and when he beats them and gets into Ramsbottom office, he will turn Ramsbottom into a cockroach since he deleted all of the information on Grus whereabouts but that’s when the principal will call Maxime to tell him where Gru is. This would have made Maxime more of threatening Villain and it would shown more of the mega minions.

5:30 I think the writers did a great job introducing the girls but they wrote themself into a corner by making a second movie. The girls were introduced as a plot device to show how desperate Gru is and how bad Vector is, Gru is desperate to show the world he can steal the moon but when his shrink ray got stolen he is willing to use the girls to get it back. He is not really caring for them even calling their book boring. Vektor then stealing the girls after Gru started caring and making Gru angry in the process to the point were Gru is willing to fight against great odds for the girls. Is showing that he as a person developed beyond his villiany for the girls, all while showing that Vektor is willing to kidnao girls to get his will, paints Gru in a way to show that he is better than that. The forst movie wrapped up everything, Gro grow up as a person and the girls found a home. Then the second movie came out, the girls didnt serve no plot anymore and only had to be there, to not invalidate the first movie ending. Sorry if it is a bit hard to read, english is not my first language.

I’m ngl I headed into this movie trippin and only remembered a cockroach dude that sounded like will Ferrell and then I looked over and realized I was watching gru 4 with my crush

Can definitely see the studio doubling down on the prequel timeline as the Minions movies are apparently out grossing the Despicable Me sequels.

Prediction: This movie will make less than a billion, more around the 700 million mark at the highest

I feel like it's a little blissfully optimistic to think this franchise is doing to die due to this one getting negative reviews, and the next film is going to die on the vine. It's gotten negative reviews since the first spin off and it still stays stronger than ever. Unless the next film or if there is a next film with how this film ends so final film-ish with its ending dies at the box office day one, then we are stuck with the franchise until folks actually stop showing up. Also, really shocked how you didn't talk about the ending with how "final" it feels with all the cameos and appearances of previous characters. Which is funny because they are so adamant about never referencing past characters as the films progressed. It feels like it's trying to go out on a high note and it doesn't work.

It really just kept.. going.. and.. going for a movie that is only an hour and a half. And somehow the ending song/scenes only sort of makes it worth it? "Suppository"

All im gonna say, delete za gorls, bring back vector as villian or side kick and you have the greatest movie plan

I don’t want to think about Gru and Lucy doing the do

personally I would like to see a plot with the girls wanting to know who their bio parents are (similar to meet the Robinsons ) maybe you could have a twist that their parents were so evil that they were forced to give the girls up or you could have them learn that they all came from different families.

Well congratulations Illumination! You just made Toy Story 4 look like a masterpiece! 🙄🤣

9:33 I love the subtle nod to dbza and tfs loool

NO CUZ FR I took my friends to watch it and we were litterally thinking of just skipping the whole movie and going to the arcade CUZ IT WAS SO BORING

I think what would have worked better in my opinion (and someone else's because I saw a comment similar to this on another video) is if Poppy was Gru's daughter from the future who traveled back in time to commit crime and hang out with her dad who might be too old to do so and less willing. Choosing that time period because she knows if she went back when he was in his prime as a villain he'd be more likely to turn her away and he'd be harder to blackmail into doing it. I think if she was the baby it would add an extra layer, because as a baby she wouldn't remember it but being able to remember it this time. All they had to do was make the baby a girl or have her be trans, it can work. (I know they would never go down the trans route because I doubt they'd want to risk losing money from transphobes)

10:00 here me out. Do a monsters university. After all, I watched the first despicable me in like, 2ed grade and now I’m planing collage. This would be a perfect time for that nostalgia bait time skip. If illumination must, Gru can send the minions to keep an eye on the girls during collage so they can still do antics. (Sorry, i struggle with names so im going by ages) Maybe for the plot the youngest misses her siblings, the middle child goes to like, a villain university (they got villain bank so I don’t see why not) and the eldest could be struggling, not doing good in collage but trying to keep a brave face or even lying to her family so they don’t worry! Honestly idk what to do with the baby, have it do antics with the minions as a toddler idk.