We were so excited to review the new Despicable Me movie. One of the main questions that is asked by parents before seeing a movie is, “Is Despicable Me 4 Appropriate for Kids?”
We were lucky enough to go to the Despicable Me Advance Screening in Kansas City. During the screening, we took notes to share our personal opinions on whether or not this movie is a must-see and what ages would it be okay to take to the theater.
Also, check out our list of the best Despicable Me 4 Quotes from the movie!
Is Despicable Me 4 Appropriate for Kids?
What is the movie rated?
The movie is rated PG for parental guidance. This is a pretty common rating for animated movies and big blockbusters. You want to make sure your kids are familiar with reality versus imagination. The Despicable Me franchise is known for its exaggeration and mischief.
What are the main themes of the movie?
Since this is an opinion piece, this is where the movie was lacking. I drove home after the movie trying to see what conversation I could spark with my daughter. The only relevant theme that stuck to me was about fatherhood and being a parent. It isn’t one that small kids can relate to. This movie was for pure entertainment. I usually like a good story to make me feel warm and fuzzy inside and this movie didn’t have that.
Is the movie too long for little kids?
You can take a deep breath because Despicable Me 4 is only an hour and thirty-four minutes. I think so many of these new movies have gotten too long for little kids. They usually can barely make it without taking multiple restroom trips.
I am happy to announce this is a zero-bathroom break film. Just take the little ones to the restroom during previews and stick to the small-sized drinks.
Are there any explicit content or scenes that may not be suitable for my family?
There were no explicit scenes. There is a lot of silly violence that you would see in all the other minion movies with people getting hurt and chaos. The level of violence was all the same. Even the villain had tons of cockroaches and they weren’t scary they were adorable.
Is the movie available in 2D or 3D?
This is only a 2D movie. There aren’t as many movies that are in 3D like they used to do in the day. I think it is too stimulating for most kids (and for adults like me).
Does the movie have any controversial or sensitive themes?
Nope. I couldn’t find anything. Well, there was a flashback of a talent show from the 9th grade, and Gru and Maxine appeared to have makeup on that somewhat made me think of drag makeup. I could have been overthinking it because I look for things that parents may or may not find controversial and could spark up social media back and forth. It was nothing that my daughter noticed and I probably wouldn’t have noticed it if I wasn’t looking for possible controversial moments.
Movie Review:
My daughter and I liked the movie. We like all the Minion and Despicable Me movies but this one had its good and its bad. If you want to laugh and eat popcorn and not think too hard about the movie, this is it.
The characters are my absolute favorite. The character development is top-notch. The 3D animations were so good I wondered if the backgrounds were 3D or if they were actual video with CGI animated on top of it. I am dying to know, so if you know…let me know?!
The reference to superheroes and I believe possibly The Fantastic Four, were great! I can see them poking fun and resemblance to all my favorite superhero movies and it made me laugh.
Now for the bad. The story lacked the charm I am accustomed to watching. It felt like it didn’t mesh well and several storylines took too long to connect. You will always hear me say that the story is the MOST important part of the movie. The comedy and character development do make up for the lack of luster in the storyline.
About the Movie:
This summer, it’s a bold new era of Minions mayhem! Universal Pictures and Illumination presents Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Sofia Vergara, and Stephen Colbert in Despicable Me 4. Rated PG. Only in theaters July 3rd.
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