The affectionate villain Gru and his adorable minions are back in the hilarious and exciting family friendly sequel to “Despicable Me.”
Steve Carell stars as Gru, a villain turned adoptive father who is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to save the world from a dangerous criminal in the movie “Despicable Me 2.” AVL agent Lucy, played by Kristen Wiig, joins Gru.
Over the Fourth of July weekend “Despicable Me 2” proved to be quite popular, especially with families. From July 5-7, this sequel earned nearly $83 million according to Richard Corliss in his Time Entertainment article “Despicable Me 2 Makes Minions-Meat of The Lone Ranger.”
“Despicable Me 2” chronicled the adventures of Gru, a criminal mastermind turned family man who is taking care of his three adopted girls Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Elsie Kate Fisher).
After retiring from villainy to take care of his girls, Gru is sought out by agents of the AVL, a secret organization trying to stop a villain who stole a lab that was experimenting with chemicals.
Along with AVL agent Lucy, Gru attempts to discover the identity of the villain who was creating dangerous weapons using the stolen chemicals. However, while completing his mission, Gru discovered more about himself and his adoptive daughters.
It could be argued that this movie was successful because it contained aspects that could appeal to every member of the family. For fathers, the movie had cool gadgets that were used by both villain and hero.
For example, a car that could transform into a submarine or an airplane might have grabbed some attention.
On a more personal level, fathers could connect with the anxiety that Gru faced when his daughter Margo showed an interest in boys. In this sequel, Gru showed more of his caring father side, by trying to either protect his daughters or by dressing up at a birthday party.
For mothers, “Despicable Me 2” had more of a romantic element than the original. Gru, the grumpy and reclusive ex-villain found love in this sequel, even after trying to run as far away from it as he could. Even his daughters could see that he needed a girlfriend and tried to set him up on an internet dating site.
The lighthearted pushes towards dating also illuminated a deeper desire for the three girls under Gru’s care. The girls, especially Agnes, were yearning for a mother, which is understandable. It was these kinds of touching moments that made the movie more than just a comedy.
Of course, comedy played a major role in the sequel, just as it did in the original. The yellow and round minions were comedic gold with children and had a big role to play in “Despicable Me 2.” There was more of a spotlight on these incomprehensible but adorable helpers as parts of their personalities were highlighted.
This movie should earn four and a half stars based on its attractiveness to all members of the family or individuals who want to have a laugh. “Despicable Me 2” was a great comedy wrapped in touching moments and dipped in exciting gadgets and scenes.
