Movie Review

Despicable Me 2

I have three grandchildren, the only three with last name of Ross, who's birthdays all fall within one week of each other. What's more, their mom also has a birthday that week. We try to do things to make each birthday unique for them, but this last week I threw in the towel and just took them all to see Despicable Me 2. The first version of this two parter was one of my favorite movies three years ago. It was funny and original. The characters were well developed... oops, let me rephrase that. The characters were... delightful. The writers of Despicable Me created new creatures call minions. They have instantly, if you can call three years instantly, become beloved figures. What is a minion? Who knows, but they are funny and often have the best lines.

The main character in DM 3 is Grue. A former bad guy, Grue has adopted three wonderful little girls who make him want to be good. If Grue is an id, the girls are his super ego. They've brought him up a notch. Grue is captured  by a secret organization for the purpose of spying on bad guys. His partner is a woman he hates. The girls think since they live with Grue that he should get married. You can figure out the rest.

Some adults may feel they are too sophisticated for a cartoon, but this is one of the funniest movies in many years. Fans of raunchy humor will be bored, but my tastes are for clean fun and that's what DM 3 provides. The minions take center stage and are a combination of the Marx Brothers and milder Three Stooges. The minions rarely speak English, but have their own language. When they do speak English, the results are side splitting.

As we were driving away from the theater, the youngest of my three grandchildren said enthusiastically, "I can't wait for Despicable Me 3!" I told him it might be another three years, but as hinted during the closing credits, the next movie will be "The Minion Movie." Now I can't wait.