Review of 'Despicable Me 2'
2nd film in the 'Despicable Me' series
Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) is a happy father, setting aside his previous life as a villain, caring for his three adapted daughters, Margo (voiced by Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (voiced by Dana Gaier) and Agnes (voiced by Elsie Fisher). When Gru helps Agnes rehearse for a school mother's day speech she shares that she is a bit sad she does not have a mother. Queue entry of the attractive, though flighty, Lucy (voiced by Kristen Wiig), an agent of the Anti-Villain League who enlists Gru's help in tracking down the evil villain who attacked a polar research station. Undercover at the local mall Lucy and Gru are determined to find the perpetrator…
Though perhaps not as fresh and entertaining as the first Despicable Me film, DM2 still has it's moments continuing Gru's story as he transitions from villain to father to…husband? The minions make a welcome return and particularly entertain when injected by the evil villain with a formula that turns them into crazed, evil, and, er, purple versions of themselves (with hair). We also get to know the three girls better with an older Margo having a crush with an attractive video gamer and Edith going through a “ninja” phase. It is of course Gru that here grows the most as he finds himself learning to love.
The story is suitably ridiculous and allows for some tremendously imaginative set pieces. The scope here is quite a bit bigger than in the original film and it shows though does seem to lose a bit of the quirkiness that made the first film so enjoyable. We don't have time to enjoy the antics of the minions which is instead, literally, now background to the main action (though their sequence in the credits gives them a chance to shine and, as with the first film, parodying the use of the 3D format this film was primarily released in).
Though perhaps not as original, DM2 is still good fun to watch, continuing the winning formula of simple, childish humour mixed with real messages about what is truly important in life.
Rating: “Really good but I have some issues”
Review Date: 2020-04-17
Directed by: Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud
Studio: Universal Pictures
Year: 2013
Length: 98 minutes
Genre: Animation
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1690953/
Other reviewed films in the 'Despicable Me' series:
- Despicable Me (2010)
- Despicable Me 3 (2017)
Other reviewed films by Balda Kyle and Pierre Coffin:
- Minions (2015)
Other reviewed films by Chris Renaud and Yarrow Cheney:
- The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
Other reviewed films by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud:
- Despicable Me (2010)
Other reviewed films by Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda and Eric Guillon:
- Despicable Me 3 (2017)