Then when his ex-schoolmate and now sworn enemy Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and his girlfriend Valentina (Sofía Vergara) escape from incarceration and vow lethal revenge, it turns Gru and his family’s life upside down. They are soon whisked off into witness protection and relocated to a posh neighbourhood where they do anything but fit in. Add to this the sycophantic next-door neighbour Poppy Prescott (Joey King) who forces Gru back into the life.

With a more mature storyline for the characters to indulge in, the film relies on those irrepressible Minions to provide most of the humour and they do it well. Those in yellow have a series of running gags that show juvenile pranks are always good for a laugh or two and they are as cute as ever. There is one gag about being trapped in a snack vending machine that is consistent in the laugh-generating stakes.

Riffs on the class system and the recidivist nature of criminals add a bit of gravitas to the story but things are mostly kept light and frothy. After three other successful chapters in the franchise, the formula has proven to be effective and remains in place for number four. There are no real surprises in store for the audience, which would have been nice but the entertainment factor remains high as does its relevance for the enjoyment of all ages.
Rob Hudson
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Following the 2022 blockbuster phenomenon of Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, which earned almost $1 billion worldwide, the biggest global animated franchise in history now begins a new chapter as Gru (Oscar® nominee Steve Carell) and Lucy (Oscar® nominee Kristen Wiig) and their girls —Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Madison Polan)—welcome a new member to the Gru family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad.

Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal (Emmy winner Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Emmy nominee Sofia Vergara), and the family is forced to go on the run.

The film features fresh new characters voiced by Joey King (Bullet Train), Emmy winner Stephen Colbert (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and Chloe Fineman (Saturday Night Live). Pierre Coffin returns as the iconic voice of the Minions and Oscar® nominee Steve Coogan returns as Silas Ramsbottom.

Packed with non-stop action and filled with Illumination’s signature subversive humor, Despicable Me 4 is directed by a co-creator of the Minions, Oscar® nominee Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets), and is produced by Illumination’s visionary founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and by Brett Hoffman (executive producer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Minions: The Rise of Gru). The film is co-directed by Patrick Delage (animation director Sing 2 and The Secret Life of Pets 2), and the screenplay is by the Emmy winning creator of White Lotus, Mike White, and the veteran writer of every Despicable Me film, Ken Daurio.
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Following the 2022 blockbuster phenomenon of Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, which earned almost $1 billion worldwide, the biggest global animated franchise in history now begins a new chapter as Gru (Oscar® nominee Steve Carell) and Lucy (Oscar® nominee Kristen Wiig) and their girls —Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Madison Polan)—welcome a new member to the Gru family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad.

Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal (Emmy winner Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Emmy nominee Sofia Vergara), and the family is forced to go on the run.

The film features fresh new characters voiced by Joey King (Bullet Train), Emmy winner Stephen Colbert (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and Chloe Fineman (Saturday Night Live). Pierre Coffin returns as the iconic voice of the Minions and Oscar® nominee Steve Coogan returns as Silas Ramsbottom.

Packed with non-stop action and filled with Illumination’s signature subversive humor, Despicable Me 4 is directed by a co-creator of the Minions, Oscar® nominee Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets), and is produced by Illumination’s visionary founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and by Brett Hoffman (executive producer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Minions: The Rise of Gru). The film is co-directed by Patrick Delage (animation director Sing 2 and The Secret Life of Pets 2), and the screenplay is by the Emmy winning creator of White Lotus, Mike White, and the veteran writer of every Despicable Me film, Ken Daurio.
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The set-up reads simply on paper but in practice continues to reveal multiple plot lines and characters until the very last moments of the film. It first focuses on Brad Pitt’s character Ladybug, a reluctant criminal who spouts a stream of zen-like sayings that wouldn’t look out of place on someone’s kitchen tea towel.

As things progress we meet an ever eclectic mob of killers and crooks and each has something new to offer backstory-wise. There is also a peppering of cameos that add to the variety. The violence is comic-book-like and increases in both gore and humour.

The pacing is supercharged with kinetic energy and ever-increasing in outrageousness and the two hours fly by. The final showdown when it happens brings things to a satisfying conclusion yet leaves you still wanting more. It’s been a while since a film of this type has left behind that feeling.
Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/SonyPicturesAUS/

Getting back on the job is never as easy as you think… especially with the world’s deadliest assassins on board.

Take a ride with Brad Pitt in #BulletTrainMovie, exclusively in cinemas August 4, 2022

In Bullet Train, Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe – all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives – on the world’s fastest train. The end of the line is just the beginning in this non-stop thrill-ride through modern-day Japan from David Leitch, the director of Deadpool 2.

Starring Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A Martínez Ocasio
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Competition will be drawn August 3, winners will be notified by mail.

Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe – all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives – on the world’s fastest train…and he’s got to figure out how to get off.

From the director of Deadpool 2, David Leitch, the end of the line is only the beginning in a wild, non-stop thrill ride through modern-day Japan.

Starring Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A Martínez Ocasio and Sandra Bullock, Bullet Train will be released in Australian cinemas August 4!
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An original movie event, Bullet Train is a fun, delirious action-thriller from the director of Deadpool 2, David Leitch. Brad Pitt headlines an ensemble cast of eclectic, diverse assassins – all with connected yet conflicting objectives – set against the backdrop of a non-stop ride through modern-day Japan.

Starring Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A Martínez Ocasio

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When one of the girls goes mysteriously missing, they begin to suspect that she is, in fact, his latest victim.

Starring Joey King, Julia Goldani Telles, Jaz Sinclair, Annalise Basso, and Javier Botet and directed by Sylvain White, Slender Man is in Australian Cinemas August 23!
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