Jul 102013
Despicable Me 2 (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)
Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s worldwide blockbuster Despicable Me entertained audiences around the globe in 2010, grossing more than 0 million and becoming the 10th-biggest animated motion picture in U.S. history. In summer 2013, get ready for more Minion madness in Despicable Me 2. Chris Meledandri and his acclaimed filmmaking team create an all-new comedy adventure featuring the return of (former?) super-villain Gru (Steve Carell), his adorable girls, the unpredictably
List Price: $ 49.98
Price: $ 34.99
Surprised and Delighted,
Actually, this review is of the theatrical performance of DESPICABLE ME 2. We hadn’t planned on seeing it this weekend but we were running early at the multiplex and the next showing of MONSTERS U was full. Neither of us had seen D.M. 2′s predecessor but it didn’t matter once we caught onto the fact that the Minions are kind of like Gremlins or Ewoks except they have very little hair, there are tons of them, some have only one eye, and all of them love to go into costume. The plot has superspy overtones, as the formerly despicable main character Gru (voice of Steve Carrell) is shanghai’d by the international Anti-Villain League to find out who is about to enslave the world (the likely culprits have been winnowed down to the proprietors of the stores at the local shopping mall). Lucy, a way over-the-top near-novice girl spy (Kristen Wiig) joins our hero and at the beginning there is no love lost between them . . . but things develop. So what you have is basically a super-high-energy 98-minute animated feature that’s part spy caper, part screwball comedy, part teen romance (Miranda Cosgrove returns as the eldest daughter), capped with the Minions singing a spirited version of the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” in Minion-ese. Benjamin Bratt as a macho restaurateur and Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario add to the fun. Rated PG, though I’m not sure why except there’s some comic SPLAT-ing going on, and the Minions apparently think the word “bottom” is naughty. (One whispers the word to another, they both titter; then the children in the audience titter, followed by the adults. It’s just that kind of movie.) Our showing ended with spontaneous audience applause, and the movie deserved it in my opinion. We awoke today to the news that D.M.2 is the top-ranked movie in America, and my partner went out in search of the disc version of D.M. (1) that includes extra Minion mini-features.
Was this review helpful to you?
|A greatly succesful sequel with even more hilarity, despicability, girl power and minions – and agent Lucy Wilde…,
I loved this movie and both my daughters loved it even more. It is AS GOOD as the first part, therefore this review follows the main lines of my review of the first “Despicable me”. This review contains very limited SPOILERS.
1. Hilarity – Exactly as the first film, this sequel is HILARIOUS! There is hardly any 15 seconds in this movie that would not contain a really good gag, children or/and adult oriented. Whoever wrote the scenario was a genius!
2. Despicability – in this film Gru is a little bit different from what he was in the first part. He is no more so grumpy, mean, petty and permanently aggravated – he certainly smiles more and all his attitude softened. He remains however exactly as insecure as in the first film. That being said, there are moments in this film when the old Gru resurfaces, when his heart is broken or when somebody REALLY upsets him. His geriatric sidekick and only friend (well, kind of) doctor Nefario didn’t take all this change easily and he has some trouble to adapt his evil laboratory to new tasks of producing jam and jelly… Gru’s murderous (and toxic) dog/rat/wolverine/skunk like pet on another hand felt completely under the spell of the girls – but still gives a great show! The two “bad guys” are also excellent – which is a real achievement, considering that one of them belongs to species usually not associated with evil villainy…)))
3. Girl power – as in the previous film, I believe that any parent of little girls will fall immediately in love with Margo, Edith and Agnes, the three little orphaned sisters Gru adopted in the first part. Those seemingly defenseless creatures took him since under the sweet and soft but in the same time surprisingly totalitarian control little girls exercise over their fathers, adoptive or not…))) Agnes, the youngest of the three (I think she is 5) is still particularly sweet – if only she was real I would adopt her on the spot and spoil her silly all the rest of my life! Tomboyish Edith, aged around 8, still wears permanently her pink hat which seems to comfort her, but as you will see, she certainly recovered from her previous traumas…))) Margo, the oldest one, is now a young teenager (she is about 13 I think) and starts already to think about boys, something which TERMINALLY freaks Gru out – and I can relate here! Honest, if you already are a parent of a little girl, you WILL LOVE this movie. And if you do not have yet a young daughter, get one!
4. As in previous film, as far as reasons to watch this movie go, even the girls must cede the first place to the minions! The totally devoted, fearless and highly professional and in the same time impossibly immature and conflicted army of Gru minions is THE greatest treasure of this movie. In this film there is even more minions and believe me – they pack incredible fun! I am very impatient to see their own film (which I believe will be released in 2014).
5. Agent Lucy Wilde, a young rising star in the Anti Villain League, is a new element and a new delight added to this film and her character is a great success. Well trained in martial arts and using some extremely cool gadgets, she is also a mixture of perfect lady and a tomboyish, contagiously enthusiastic adventurer, still lacking a little bit of experience and therefore prone to attack first and ask questions later…))) And she is also cute, which certainly doesn’t hurt.
I purposefully omitted in this review some of the characters and did not hint at most of the gags and scenes, to avoid big spoilers and keep things short.
To conclude, this is a TREASURE OF A MOVIE. A thing to see in cinema, then buy on DVD, watch, keep and re-watch on regular basis. And I ABSOLUTELY hope for A SECOND SEQUEL!
PS. LONG LIVE MINIONS!
Was this review helpful to you?
|Silly Fun (With A Little Emotion Thrown In),
The first “Despicable Me” effort introduced audiences to the goofy, rambunctious Minions as well as the relationship between villain-turned-good guy Gru and his three little girls. The second movie plays to those same strengths and offers more Minion mayhem and more heartfelt moments.
For a basic plot summary, “Despicable Me 2″ sees Gru (voice of Steve Carell) recruited by secret agent Lucy (Kristin Wiig) to join the newly-formed Anti-Villain league. Though at first nonplussed by the offer and content to be just “Dad” to Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and sweet little Agnes (Elsie Kate Fisher), Gru begins to feel the tug of adventure once again (as well as perhaps a bit of a romantic fling as well?!) and is quickly caught up in the world-saving game again.
In terms of comedy and adventure, this movie provides it in spades! It’s amazing that it took this many years of human history to think up such hilarious characters as Minions, as they can make even the most sourpuss among us crack a smile (and have most of us rolling in the aisles!). Their crazy antics are unrivaled in the history of animated feature films.
There is also a nice little touch of emotion in the movie involving Gru finding a partner (or mother, as asked for by Agnes). I actually wish the movie would have focused on this movie, as a more developed and focused emotional aspect could have easily vaulted it to five-star status.
Overall, though, “Despicable Me 2″ is fine comedic fare for anyone who enjoyed the original. The girls might touch you, the Minions will have you laughing throughout, and Carell’s Gru is such a crazy character that he is a joy to watch. A fun film for the entire family.
Was this review helpful to you?
|