The world’s favorite supervillain-turned-Anti-Villain-League-agent, Gru, returns for a bold new era of minions mayhem in Illumination’s DESPICABLE ME 4, now with over an hour of exclusive bonus content including 2 mini movies. Gru, Lucy and their girls welcome a new member to the family – Gru Jr. – who is intent on tormenting his dad, as a new nemesis shows up and forces the family to go on the run. This latest blockbuster chapter in the biggest global animated franchise in history is packed with nonstop action, filled with Illumination’s signature subversive humor, and new dynamics with the introduction of a questionably charming team – The Mega Minions!

For in-depth thoughts on Despicable Me 4, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Despicable Me 4 arrives on 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a mesmerizing 2160p HDR/Dolby Vision transfer. The resplendent colors of this transfer are what the format was made for as they leap off the screen with a wide range of hues saturating every bit of the frame. Black levels are terrific with no hint of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of the sort. Highlights are likewise in total control with no blooming. Take a look at any scene and you will be rewarded with a visual feast that you could pause and explore if you felt so inclined.

This franchise has always been bold with distinct character designs, and the new and classic characters render with perfect fluid motions throughout. Technology continues to evolve in new and exciting ways to make modern animation stand out in a way that once never would have seemed possible. The animation team loads up the background with unique facets that are fun to clock. Anyone well-versed in this particular franchise knows that the environmental details are plentiful and worth exploring. The textures of the different character designs and environments are extremely impressive and give the film a real sense of depth. Universal is undefeated in delivering a top-tier visual experience.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray deploys a Dolby Atmos track that gives this lively film an all-encompassing soundscape. Dialogue is nice and clear (outside of the chatty minion babbling) without ever getting overshadowed by the music or sound effects. The film truly comes alive when it comes to the score and soundtrack, and this track renders every note with impeccable fidelity. Environmental sound effects are crafted deftly within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. The activity largely focuses on the front channels, but the activity extends to the surrounds and rears to allow for a more natural experience. The low-end activity from the subwoofer gives the appropriate moments a surprising amount of strength. The implementation of the height channels makes you feel as if you are in the middle of the action. This film has been gifted with a track that is not struggling for nuance. This audio track is a thing of beauty.

Special Features

Game Over and Over: A new four-minute mini-movie in which the minions discover a special video game controller that controls more than just the action on screen. A very amusing piece.

Benny’s Birthday: A new four-minute mini-movie in which a minion finds himself in a time loop.

Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes: There are nine scenes totaling nearly 15 minutes of unused footage provided here. There are amusing moments, but we understand why most were cut for pacing.

Despicable Dialogue: A four-minute collection of silly moments during the voice recording sessions. There are some good bits here.

Meet The Cast: A 22-minute collection of interviews focusing on characters old and new, the vocal performances that bring them to life, how they fit into this overall story, and much more.

- Steve Carell – Gru (3:29)

- Kristen Wiig – Lucy (3:05)

- Joey King – Poppy Prescott (3:47)

- Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Madison Polan – Gru’s Girls (3:05)

- Stephen Colbert & Chloe Fineman – The Prescotts (2:19)

- Sofia Vergara – Valentina (2:40)

- Will Ferrell – Maxime (3:49)

Making Of: An 11-minute piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the latest chapter in the story.

Mega Minion Mayhem: A nearly five-minute look at the development of the superpowered minions in the film.

Rogues Gallery: A four-minute exploration of the various villains from the Despicable Me and Minions universe.

How To Draw (& Animate) with Brad Ableson: Five videos totaling 12 minutes are provided here in which you are guided through how to create your own Mega Dave, Mega Mel, Mega Jerry, Mega Gus, and Mega Tim. This can be played in the original French or with an English dub.

Final Thoughts

Despicable Me 4 is a rather disposable entry in the successful franchise that is neither offensively bad nor a surprising gem. It is a passable adventure designed to keep the money flowing and the characters relevant. Some amusing parodies show small bursts of creativity, but the characters do not feel as if they are changing in any kind of significant way. Kids will continue to gravitate towards this franchise, but there seems to be less and less for the adults sitting beside them to enjoy. Universal has provided this one with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a fantastic A/V presentation and some cool special features. If you are a fan of the franchise, this gives you what you expect.

Despicable Me 4 is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.