Despicable Me 2: Predicable and Pleasant

Despicable Me 2 will delight very young audiences and their parents with its adorable jokes and storyline. From a film critic’s standpoint, however, while there is nothing fundamentally wrong or cringe worthy about its story structure, the movie falls back on the formulaic storyline that dominates action and adventure movies. A villain decides to endanger the human race by creating a new race of super humans or super aliens. Call me jaded, but I do wish that movies, even those for children, would deviate from this formula in order to try and surprise their audiences rather than feeding a derivative of similar plotlines and conflicts.

The adventure begins when a giant magnet confiscates a secret laboratory near the Arctic Circle. It turns out that the lab was responsible for experimenting with a mutating chemical compound called PX-41, which transforms living beings into indestructible killing machines—even transforming furry bunny rabbits into purple gigantic monsters. In order to find the perpetrator, the Anti-Villain League decides to recruit someone who knows how to think like a villain. They track down Gru (Steve Carrell), who has given up villainous activities for a peaceful life as a father of his three adopted children. He has also started a business making jams and jellies with the help of his scientist assistant, Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand). Although he initially refuses the AVL’s offer, Gru realizes that this undercover gig is the perfect opportunity for him to reconnect with his adventurous self. Plus, his jellies don’t taste that great.

The AVL sends Gru to the local mall so that he can spy on the shopkeepers as an undercover agent. He and his new partner, Lucy (Kristin Wiig), are responsible for manning the cupcake shop with the help of Gru’s minions. Gru suspects that Eduardo (Benjamin Bratt), a happy-go-lucky owner of a Mexican restaurant, might be old super-villain, El Macho, and might also be responsible for the lab’s disappearance. Another suspect is an eccentric wig merchant (Ken Jeong).

The minions are adorably hilarious and come in every size and personality. They definitely increase the movie’s cuteness and loveable-ness factor, reflecting the goofy, funny, and curious side of us. With its quirky minions and fart guns, the movie will absolutely delight children. Furthermore, parents will relate to Gru’s concerns about taking care of his daughters. He worries about Margo chasing after boys and keeping his kids safe. He also encounters what it means to be a single parent and the awkwardness of getting back into the dating game. And almost everyone can relate to worrying about whether their crush feels the same way as one does about them.

The only flaw of this film is that it felt too safe and predictable. The film relies on some stereotypes, many of which are not exactly politically correct or progressive—Eduardo is an overweight and hyperbolically jolly guy who owns a Mexican restaurant and salsa dances everywhere he goes. His son, Antonio (Moises Arias), woos Margo with his moves as well, much to Gru’s discomfort.

Also, with everyone trying to set Gru up with other women, it is almost inevitable that Gru will find a romantic interest, someone to settle down with and raise his three children—Margot (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Kate Fisher). The romantic subplot, while it was cute, could have benefitted from a more developed love interest as opposed to a random finger pointing towards who would settle down with Gru. Moreover, Lucy seemed more like a one-dimensional “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” who happens to like cool gadgets and weaponry. Her character mainly served to reintroduce adventure and love into Gru’s life, which lends a wonderfully selfish and misogynistic lesson for today’s youth.

While its cutesiness and humor will win the hearts of young kids and parents, the film is not particularly original or heartwarming in any unique sort of way. Although the adventure plotline is rather lackluster and predictable, Despicable Me 2 lightheartedly addresses real-life conflicts and issues which affect both kids and parents. The movie and its characters, particularly Gru and his daughters, are very likable. Plus, no one can deny the lovability of the multi-talented minions. Fans of the first installment and even young kids that are new to the series will embrace Despicable Me 2 despite its bland and slightly sexist qualities.