Why familiarity breeds content in Despicable Me 4

Despicable Me 4 proves the adventures of Gru and his ever-expanding entourage won’t be getting old any time soon, writes Leigh Paatsch.

It’s a mixed bag at the movies this week with a fourth chapter in a hit animated franchise that’s better than it has any right to be, and a horror stinker that won’t do an Aussie Oscar-winner any favours.

DESPICABLE ME 4 (PG)

Gru (Steve Carell), Lucy (Kristen Wiig) and Gru Jr. in Despicable Me 4.

Directors: Chris Renaud, Patrick Delage

Starring: the voices of Steve Carell, Will Ferrell, Joey King, Pierre Coffin

Rating: ★★★½

Go fourth, and let the good times multiply

We are now four movies in on the whole Despicable Me thing (or six, including the Minions spin-offs).

Remarkably, Despicable Me 4 delivers plenty of proof that the deliriously inventive and genuinely amusing adventures of the reformed supervillain Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) and his ever-expanding entourage won’t be getting old any time soon.

The same lofty standards that have long been the hallmark of the series are always to the fore here, guaranteeing this energetic new instalment will be a must-see for many with school hols on the horizon.

So what’s new for Gru and crew? Well, in addition to his three charming adopted daughters, he now has a son, Gru Jr. This boisterous baby looks like his dad, but doesn’t like the look of his dad. Just how these two will eventually bond supplies the movie with the kind of emotional through-line all audiences can relate to.

Gru and family are relocated in the national witness protection scheme.

As for more dramatic developments, look no further than the state of play within the Anti-Villain League.

The AVL have detected the sudden absence of a dangerous inmate from their max-security prison. As it turns out, the escapee, Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell), is also making tracks directly for Gru’s home to exact a terrifying and definitive revenge.

So the AVL has no choice but to swiftly relocate the Gru family elsewhere inside their national witness protection scheme.

However, Gru is not the kind of guy who will merely blend in with the scenery in a suburban setting, so it will only be a matter of time before the dreaded Maxime (who has inexplicably transformed himself into a half-man-half-cockroach) pays a rescheduled visit.

And what of the Minions, you may well ask? All you really need to know is (a) they are still the best scene-stealers in the movie business, and (b) five of these little yellow mirth-magnets will be selected by AVL scientists to become an Avengers-like quintet known as the Mega Minions.

Gru and Gru Jr. with would-be villain Poppy Prescott (Joey King).

On a wider scale, Despicable 4 does nudge a few new characters into view, the most notable of which is Poppy (Joey King), a fangirl who blackmails Gru into becoming her villain mentor.

However, the movie is at its best when remaining on familiar ground, which allows its top-notch voice cast and those irrepressible Minions to seal the deal impressively.

Despicable Me 4 is in cinemas now

THE EXORCISM (M)

Russell Crowe in The Exorcism.

Rating: ★½

General release

Looks like Russell Crowe might be on a mission to corner the market in Satan-banishing movies. Once again, he finds himself in that certain type of para-religious pickle where the devil has taken residence inside some misbegotten soul, and a priest must be found ASAP to organise the quickest eviction possible. Whereas in last year’s slyly enjoyable The Pope’s Exorcist, it was Rusty doing all the exorcising, now it is he who must be exorcised. Confused already? Well, The Exorcism is only getting started on that front. The demonically possessed fellow that Crowe is playing goes by the name of Tony, and Tony is an actor who has just landed a gig playing a priest in a movie about exorcisms.

Though Crowe does his best to make sense of his character (also a relapsing alcoholic and drug addict) and the devilish takeover ruining his life, an unnecessarily cryptic screenplay and a weak supporting cast makes that task all but impossible. There’s also not enough devil-damning bang for your buck should you show up hoping for plenty of flaming crucifixes, levitating furniture and gruesome physical contortions.

FEDERER: TWELVE FINAL DAYS (PG)

Roger Federer in the documentary Federer: 12 Final Days.

Rating: ★★★

Now streaming on Amazon Prime Video

Roger Federer’s exemplary record as a tennis champion speaks for itself. For those who kept close tabs on the Swiss ace’s two-decade reign at the top of the sport, it was definitely a case of what you saw was what you got. On court, Federer played the game more beautifully, efficiently and honourably than anyone may ever do. Off court, there was no world No.1 more perfectly affable, nor pleasantly dull.

With the Federer brand so well established – and unlikely to ever change – a documentary about him is always going to struggle to find fresh or compelling angles on the man. Twelve Final Days does give the assignment its best shot, however. Experienced doco director Asif Kapadia (Senna, Amy) focuses on the last weeks of Federer’s time in the pro ranks, which will end with an emotion-charged finale at the Laver’s Cup in London. Though that closing match (a low-stakes doubles fixture alongside his great pal Rafa Nadal) is a bit of a fizzer, the genuine sorrow it elicits from the most stoic blokes in tennis (even Novak Djokovic and Bjorn Borg need to reach for a tissue) will deeply resonate with true devotees of the game.

Originally published as Why familiarity breeds content in Despicable Me 4