Despicable Me 2

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
 Despicable Me 2
Released 7/3/13, now in theaters

Oh, those pesky Minions!  The little yellow ones return this week in the sequel to the 2010 blockbuster.  And let's not forget Steve Carell returning as bad-guy-turned-cuddly father, Gru.  Let me say, more than any movie this summer, this is the one I marked on the calendar.  As animated features go, it has a long way to go to equal the season's near-masterpiece, Monsters University.  Time to see how close it came.

Gru and his three adopted daughters (Margo, Edith, and Agnes) have settled into civilian life nicely.  Well, at least, Gru-style civilian life.  The ex-villain is throwing birthday parties, dodging his obnoxious neighbor's attempts to set him up with her friends, and trying to make a living by inventing a new line of jellies and jams with his partner, Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand).  Together with Kyle, the ill-tempered doglike creature of his own creation and his army of Minions, Gru and the girls have a very...different type of family. 

Unfortunately, Dr. Nefario is rather bored with not being evil any longer (and making putrid jellies that even the Minions can't choke down).  So, the good doctor leaves Gru for more evil pastures.  Also, little Agnes has a speech to give in a play regarding the importance of mothers which she delivers in a dry, monotone voice as she has no frame of reference.

 Anti-Villain League (AVL) agent, Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), approaches Gru on the League's behalf and kidnaps him to their underwater lair.  Here, AVL leader, Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan) attempts to enlist the ex-villain's aid in recovering a recently stolen mutagen, PX-41, a chemical that turns any organism exposed to it to a vicious, mindless killing machine.  According to Ramsbottom, it takes a criminal mind to know a criminal mind.  When Gru eventually accepts, he's paired with Agent Wilde and the two survey the Paradise Mall undercover where the chemical has been trailed.  

While investigating several business owners in the mall, Gru thinks he recognizes restaurant owner, Eduardo Perez (Benjamin Bratt), as long thought deceased villain, El Macho, a prime candidate as the thief of PX-41.  To make matters worse, Margo has taken a liking to Perez's son, Antonio, which causes Gru no end of worry as a concerned father.  And worse than that, he has his own developing feelings toward Lucy with no one to practice his moves on other than his Minions who are mysteriously disappearing by the day. 

So, we have a simplistic plot and extremely silly premise.  Ordinarily, a film with these qualities would deserve to be skewered.  But, like its predecessor, it really doesn't matter because you're too busy laughing to care!  You like the Minions?  There are Minions galore doing every wacky thing you can possibly imagine speaking in their own unique unintelligible language.  

But Despicable Me 2 doesn't feature the Minions only.  Gru is as clueless as ever caring for his girls.  Kristen Wiig adds a nice touch as Lucy who, against all odds, seems to wackily fit in to Gru's crazy family life, Minions and all.  Steve Carell's voiceover is really comedic genius in these movies as humorless, Gru.  And who can't get behind a character named "El Macho?"  I don't think much more needs to be said about that. 

Last week I believe I wrote that Monsters University was the best movie of the year.  Well, Despicable Me 2 is not the BEST movie of the year.  It is not BETTER than Monsters University, but...

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

****1/2 stars


Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.