Animation Monday: Review of Despicable Me 2

By Nathan Young on July 8, 2013 • ( 2 Comments )

Over the 4th of July weekend, Despicable Me 2 premiered to record Box Office money! Over the five-day period, the movie earned $142 million dollars! Not bad for a movie that cost $76 million to make! The other big premiere, The Lone Ranger, did poorly during the five days only earning $48.9 million. Memo to Disney, with two big budget westerns (John Carter / The Lone Ranger) down the toilet, maybe you should stick to making family films. Below, I am going to talk about the awesome Despicable Me 2! If you have not seen it yet, SPOILER ALERT!

The movie starts off three years from the original Despicable Me. A secret laboratory is stolen by a villain and the Anti-Villian League grows concerned because the lab contains a mutating chemical compound, PX-41, which could transform living things into indestructible killing machines. Basically, a villain is wanting to turn everyone into killing monsters that will destroy Earth. The organization decides to recruit Gru, as he is a former villain, and could help the AVL prevent the mutating chemical from getting into the wrong hands. Enter Lucy Wilde, who is a AVL Agent, she has to kidnap Gru in dramatic fashion with a lipstick taser! I love how Lucy says Lipstick Taser!

Gru along with two minions travels in a car submarine to the Anti-Villain League headquarters which is on the ocean floor. Gru has to spend the entire ride very uncomfortable in the trunk. I felt bad for that! The league’s director, Silas Ramsbottom, asks Gru to help them track down the perpetrator and the missing mutagen. But Gru refuses because he wants to concentrate on raising the three girls and producing bottled jellies, yummy! Lucy gives Gru her business card which will become useful later! When Gru gets back, everything goes wrong which freaks him out! The bottled jellies tastes horrible and research scientist Dr. Nefario leaves to be evil somewhere else. So how are departing people treated, with a 21 fart-gun salute! Yes, Gru contacts Lucy and he joins the Anti-Villain league!

Gru and Lucy goes undercover at The Paradise Shopping Mall as the owners of a cupcake shop. Eduardo, is an old super-villain called El Macho, but is a Mexican restaurant owner at the mall. After closing, Lucy and Gru breaks in to the restaurant but escapes after being spotted by Eduardo’s pet chicken and Eduardo himself. The pair only finds a jar of secret-recipe salsa in his safe and nothing relevant to link Eduardo to the crime. Meanwhile, Margo discovers what boys is all about! Eduardo’s son, Antonio attracts Margo which does not make Gru happy. Why would you develop a crush on the enemy’s son? The family is invited to Eduardo’s mansion for a Cinco de Mayo party and Gru is over-protective with his daughters. I would be too if one of my kids had a crush with the enemy.

Gru is on the dating scene since he does not want to raise three girls by himself. Gru’s crazy neighbor, Jillian sets up a date with her rude and superficial friend Shannon. This was very painful to watch, gladly Lucy shoots Shannon with a tranquilizing dart and they take Shannon home. Gru then finally gets this thought implanted into his head and he realizes he is in love with Lucy! The next day at the mall, the Anti-Villain League arrest Floyd Eagle-san, who protests vehemently that he was framed, after the AVL team uncovers the empty mutagen jar in his shop. You would think the case is closed but, no it’s not!

Lucy is sent to Australia for work but Gru never has the guts to has Lucy for a date before she leaves. Gru, your three girls are experts in dating, listen to them! At Eduardo’s party, Gru discovers that Dr. Nefario has worked for Eduardo and that the duo has captured and mutated some of Gru’s minions into the purple-furred monsters using the stolen mutagen serum. These purple minions are very ugly!

Eduardo offers Gru a chance to conquer the world, but Gru makes unconvincing excuses and hastily leaves with the girls. Margo also gets revenge with Antonio because he went to another girl. Gru becomes an awesome parent by encasing Antonio in ice with his freeze gun. I am sure all women would do the same if their man cheated! While on the plane, Lucy realizes herself that she wants to be with Gru, so she skydives off of the plane and into Eduardo’s party, but she is captured. When Dr. Nefario calls Gru to tell him that Lucy has been captured, this sets Gru into action!

Gru disguises two of his minions in purple paint to escort his “captured” self into Eduardo’s compound in a rescue attempt. Gru manages to restore the minions who were under El Macho’s control using the awful-tasting jam infused with the antidote which Dr. Nefario made. Gru is strapped onto a TNT-loaded shark rocket and Lucy tries to save him, but Eduardo’s pet chicken triggers the launch remote which sends the pair flying towards the lava-spewing volcano. While flying on the rocket to their deaths, Lucy accepts Gru’s date invitation and they both escape the rockets diving into the ocean before the rocket explodes. This is the ultimate love is in the air!

After 147 dates, by the way, no one would stick around for 147 dates in real life. Gru and Lucy marries and the three girls have a mother! The minions steal this wedding with their renditions of “I Swear” and “YMCA.” The final ten minutes of the movie was very sweet! Everyone in the theater really enjoyed this part of the movie and there was plenty of laughter! During the credits, you will see three Minions auditioning for the upcoming Minions movie. But the credits get in the way of their auditions, it was funny!

Overall, I thought Despicable Me 2 was a great movie that the entire family will enjoy. The action is great, Gru treats his kids very well, and the minions are, well just minions! I thought the minions were the best part of this movie with all of their crazy stuff! At the end when they were singing at the wedding, they were a hoot to listen too and watch! I encourage all of you to go see Despicable Me 2! You will like it!

Learn more about Despicable Me 2 at: http://despicableme.com/

All images copyright from Universal Pictures