Despicable Me 4 3D Movie Review

Despicable Me 4 3D Movie Review

By: Jacob Scarberry

Despicable Me 4

3D

 

Illumination has done it again, releasing one of the best 3D films in quite some time and continuing a winning streak of stellar imagery in the third dimension. Not only was the depth and dimension of the picture naturally spaced and the horizon stretching to near infinity, but there were also constant pop-outs throughout the entire running time. Limbs, faces, lasers, and particle effects all came out to the audience at a regular pace that was simply shocking in how often this happened. The standout scene was in the first ten minutes of the film when villain Maxime Le Mal extends his arm towards Gru with a cockroach in his hand, and it felt like you were in danger of getting your eyes poked out, it was so close. This will probably be the best 3D visuals of 2024; it's that good. The 3D aspect of Despicable Me 4 is simply magnificent.

3D Final Verdict: 10/10 , Editor’s Choice 3D Award


Movie

Your auntie's favorite Facebook memes are back for another “movie”!

 

After Gru's last adventure in Despicable Me 3, where he teamed up with his long-lost brother Dru to stop the villainous Balthazar Bratt from destroying Hollywood, his life has stayed the same for the most part. Gru (Steve Carell) and his wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig) still work for the AVL (Anti-Villain League) and take care of their three adopted daughters along with a new child, Gru Jr., and all the Minions with their shenanigans. Gru's next mission? He is to attend his high school alma mater Lycee Pas Bon (a funny joke if you know French) and apprehend his nemesis, Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell), who is hellbent on using the power of the cockroach to turn Gru Jr. into a pest (how Maxime knows about Gru Jr. is never explained).

 

While initially successful in arresting Maxime, he escapes from the AVL prison with the help of his girlfriend Valentina (Sofía Vergara), and Gru and his family are placed into witness protection. Shenanigans ensue as Gru deals with new neighbors, Lucy gets a salon job, and the Minions' chaos. This all leads to Gru saving the day.

 

I remember back in 2010 (feels like VERY long time ago) being absolutely smitten with the first film in the Despicable Me franchise. Despicable Me was funny, well-animated, and quite touching in places, fully proving that Illumination has the capability of producing high-quality work on significantly smaller budgets than its competitors over at DreamWorks and Disney/Pixar. Sadly, the allure of the almighty dollar has tainted this once-promising studio (for the most part), usually delivering products made with the lowest common denominator and the highest profitability margins in mind. Despicable Me is high proof of this, with not only four films in the main franchise but also a spin-off film with its own sequel, not to mention short films, tons of merchandise, toys, and food-themed items. It's hard to review this as a "film" because it's clearly just a profit-maximizing product for Illumination, but I have to continue.

 

As for the story, there is practically none beyond loose threads of several side quests, with Gru's being the only one with anything resembling a through line. There is no depth to the characters, no growth (literally, the kids haven't aged!), and the villainous plot is rather tame and low-key compared to his previous nemeses' heinous acts of moon-napping, world domination, and city flattening. Lucy and the girls have very little to do, with the Minions providing most of the entertainment, as they have in the previous films since part two.

 

Are the Minions' shenanigans still entertaining? Sure, they're practically the saving grace, but the silly minions act is getting old, and getting old fast. The new gimmick is that the AVL has created the “Mega Minions” program that is tested in the city, and it predictably goes awry. Sadly it is the highlight of the film, but I hope this isn't a litmus test for a fully-fledged Mega Minions-based film - Ugh.

 

The animation is well-done, and there are some funny background gags that are fun to look out for. The cast is all having a blast, which reflects in every frame of the film. The soundtrack is filled with radio hits of the '80s and '90s, along with film references that no kid would get at all and are simply there for the adults to chuckle while their kid laughs at a goat pooping on the floor. It truly is a family film, and the families in my audience laughed, as did I a few times, but this is one that barely musters any enthusiasm from yours truly to see any more of this series. So, I guess I'll see you again in two – three years with Despicable Me 5: Minions 3 - The Search for More Money.

Movie Final Verdict: 5/10

Update July 6th 2024:

When we initially published this review we gave the movie a score of 6/10. The score has been updated, and lowered to a 5/10.

For more information please become our patron on patreon.


We reviewed the previous Minions movies, you can see those reviews here:



Learn more about how we rate 3D content via the link below:

https://www.3dor2d.com/3d-or-2d-ratingssystem/



Inside Out 2 3D Movie Review

Inside Out 2

3D Movie Review

Written by : Adolph Vega


3D

Inside Out 2 is quite the visual experience. The 3D effects added a lot of depth to the scenes, particularly in the various hockey scenes, which looked absolutely stunning. While the use of pop-out effects was rare, the 3D was smartly integrated throughout the film, enhancing the overall visual appeal. Sadly the movie never tries to wow the audience with its 3D. The 3D feels subdued overall as few camera angles could have been tweaked that would have elevated the 3D experience even more. Overall, the 3D was solid and a huge improvement over the first Inside Out movie, though I did feel they were holding back a bit. I fully admit that I cried (significantly) as I watched this movie. My tears may have impacted the 3D glasses, and the 3-D presentation. Don’t get me wrong, this is a very good 3D presentation, but I feel like the 3D in Inside Out 2 could have been stronger.

3D Final Verdict: 7/10


Movie

As for the movie itself, I haven't laughed or cried this much in a Pixar movie in years. The film is so well-crafted that I believe it will become required watching for therapists and psychologists.

The story of Inside Out 2 continues sometime after the events of the first movie. Riley, the main protagonist, is now 13 and attends a special weekend hockey event with her friends. Riley has now gained new emotions—Anxiety, Boredom, Envy, and more. These new emotions challenge the status quo and aim to change Riley. How will the previous emotions work with the new ones? The movie perfectly balances the drama of the conflict between the emotions and Riley’s personal story. How does Riley handle her life with these new emotions? You’ll need to watch the movie to find out how everything works out. This story deeply connects to the human experience and is very powerful, profound, and fun. It's incredibly relatable and brilliantly showcases complex mental ideas in a creative and entertaining manner.

Inside Out 2 is a very hilarious movie. The clever writing is superb. The movie is just so witty and sharp. The dialogue is phenomenal, and everyone in this cast gives 110%. The psychological word play is simply brilliant. The movie has some cringy moments, but it works perfectly with the story that they are telling. It’s genius how they were able to weave this cerebral narrative together in such a humorous manner. Kids will be able to enjoy this movie (to a lesser degree), but this movie is really made for adults, and teenagers.

Inside Out 2 is pure movie magic, and is absolutely worth the multi-year wait. How this film explains heavy concepts with clarity and levity is masterful. Inside Out 2 exceeded my highest expectations. Pixar has truly outdone themselves with this movie. It's one of the best Pixar movies of all time, and easily is one of the best films of the last decade. I don’t say this lightly, but Inside Out 2 is top tier Pixar. There are no flaws to speak of; it's a masterpiece of creativity and is truly an inspired piece of art. Without a doubt, Inside Out 2 earns my highest recommendation and praise.

Movie Final Verdict:

10/10,

Editor’s Choice Film Award

* Special Note *

We live in an anxiety ridden, dysfunctional, stressful, crazy modern world. If you are struggling with your mental health please reach out and get professional help. It is ok to recognize that you are not okay. Therapists and Psychologists are absolutely worth your time and money. Adults should seriously consider taking a box of tissues into the theater as you watch this movie. Inside Out 2 is a fantastic emotional journey of a movie, and frankly speaking I was not fully prepared for how intense this movie was. Hopefully this review has helped you emotionally prepare for this masterpiece of cinema. Thank You to my therapist Delores who helped me tremendously over the last few months, she is wonderful and her work has dramatically improved my life. I wasn’t originally going to write a review for this movie, but I was inspired by people on facebook to write this review. This review was partly written with AI software. A human brain double checked the work, wrote the initial outline, and oversaw final edits to this written review.

Our review of the first Inside Out movie is here:

https://www.3dor2d.com/reviews/insideout


Learn more about how we rate 3D content via the link below:

https://www.3dor2d.com/3d-or-2d-ratingssystem/


Website:

https://movies.disney.com/inside-out-2

© Disney, All Rights Reserved, Disney Entertainment, Disney Lifestyle