****
‘Despicable Me 2’ picks up where
the first left off – with Gru, recently turned good guy, and his three adopted
children, Margo, Edith and Agnes living in his Gothic mansion with the minions.
Instead of making weapons, Gru has now turned to making jams and jellies in his
laboratories and hosting birthday parties. When he’s kidnapped and recruited by
the Anti-Villain League (AVL), however, his new found domestic bliss is
shattered and he must go undercover with sidekick Lucy to find the one
responsible for the destruction of a research base, home to a serum that turns
living things into purple killing machines.
The first thing to say is that
this film is really lovely, and its good natured heart makes it accessible to
both children and older viewers. The story is now much more focused on the
domestic than the first film, where Gru (the excellent Steve Carell) was attempting
to steal the moon, with lots of scenes with the girls, Gru and the minions
mooching around in the house. One of the major plot points is that the girls
are trying to get Gru to go on a date, an early indication of the homely nature
of the movie. The blossoming romance between Gru and his sidekick, Lucy
(Kristen Wiig), is well-judged and really rather sweet although Lucy’s
character can be a little annoying at times. Gru also has to deal with Margo’s
growing infatuation with boys, resulting in a funny dancing sequence where he
tries to dispose of the latest heart-throb.
There are, however, fewer laughs
than in the first film. Now that Gru is a good guy, there is less scope for his
mischievous antics but that doesn’t mean the movie is without humour and a few
good gags – they’re just based around Gru’s attempts to be a good father to his
adopted children. The minions are back with a vengeance and have a much bigger
role to play this time, their undecipherable mutterings leaving a smile on the
face. (Be warned, you may leave the cinema mimicking their version of ‘bottom’.)
There is less wit on offer here – there are no quips referring to the world
like in the first (although the serum could be interpreted as a reference to
genetic modification), but this doesn’t make the film any less charming. The
interplay between Gru and his adopted children is well-judged and obviously
written by parents, and there is a section which features Gru going on a
disastrous date which older viewers can’t help but recognise. What the film
lacks in depth, however, it more than makes up for it in humour, excellent
visuals and a hero you can’t help but root for.
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