There are many things that make a great kids’ movie. According to Lights Camera Jackson, a movie reviewer, there are three main things that make a solid movie for children: an interesting story and characters, appeal to people of all ages, and an important message to teach. When parents are looking for a movie to watch with their kids in the theater, they usually look for one or more of these elements.
Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin’s Despicable Me is a famous animated movie that first appeared in theaters on July 9, 2010. Since then, the franchise has had extreme success that only increases with each movie that is released. Released recently, on July 3, the fourth movie is available to see in theaters and has been a hit with many different audiences. Families take their kids out to see it for enjoyment, and teenagers go for fun and nostalgia.
The movie mainly focuses on the subject of family, but also makes sure to add the typical animated humor to keep the viewers’ attention and enjoyment. The movie begins with the already-developed family of Gru, Lucy, their three little girls, and the new addition of a baby boy. With new characters and a new setting, the household sets out on a new adventure. The trailers go out of their way to avoid directly showing the plot, so when families come to see it, it’s a fun surprise for everyone.
Humor was another main theme of the movie, as it is in all the other movies made. The minions, a well-known fan favorite, continue to have their crude yet entertaining jokes throughout the movie. While there were many things that stood out to make this movie distinct from the others, the minions were the main constant.
There were many people who helped in making this film’s identity what it was. From music to animators to voice actors, everyone played a part. Heitor Pereira and Pharrell Williams were the main composers of the music and worked together to create the overall atmosphere of the scenes. The music that was being played in the background of the scenes, whether they were intense action scenes or peaceful transition clips, made for a more enchanting film.
On the other hand, the movie has gained backlash from former Despicable Me enthusiasts for a variety of reasons. The main arguments are the beliefs that the plot was overwhelming, leaving some storylines not as developed, it was fast-paced, which might be confusing for children to keep up with and understand, and there was a lack of depth, as there were some new characters that were never really expanded on in ways that would have had driven the film to new heights.
Overall, the movie is a wonderful experience to see if you want something that is fast-paced, filled with humor, and has universal appeal. If, on the other hand, you are expecting something slower-paced, heavy in depth, and with character expansion, then there are many other wonderful movies that have come out or will be coming out that are both family-friendly and exactly what you’re looking for.
