Despite a
proclivity towards favoring DreamWorks Animation properties, when it comes to
the saturated family box office of this summer, I was most excited for
Illumination Entertainment’s entry. I
adored 2010’s Despicable Me, and in
the interim, those yellow-pilled buffoons known as “Minions” have become pop
culture icons…really, who wasn’t thrilled when teasers popped up featuring a
gibberish-filled rendition of “Barbara Ann”?
NBCUniversal unleashed an unprecedented wave of marketing partnerships
to ensure that the Minions were absolutely everywhere (promoting theater
etiquette at AMC venues while hocking car insurance alongside Progressive’s Flo)
thereby sending awareness and anticipation off the charts. Steve Carell has been brilliant as the
villainous Gru, and this time, he would be receiving a love interest voiced by
Kirsten Wiig; but make no mistake, people were filling theaters to see the
Minions. With creative brand leveraging
and guaranteed clever humor, even the most cynical of Hollywood analysts knew
that Despicable Me 2 would decimate
the competitive July 4th Holiday Weekend.
It may not
be as novel or take as many risks as its predecessor, but Despicable Me 2 delivered everything that was promised to and
expected by audiences both young and old.
Steve Carell is once again in top-form as Gru, and though his villainous
nature has been toned down, the character himself has become so revered that
his mere return is welcome and entertaining in-and-of itself without a
compelling story. As for the new
additions, Benjamin Bratt’s villain was a notable step down from Jason Segel’s
inspired antagonism in the original, but that letdown is quickly forgotten
thanks to Kristen Wiig’s supporting performance which gloriously showcased her
razor-sharp comedic timing. And, of
course, it goes without saying that the Minions once again steal the show and
are utterly hysterical in both their original and inventive psychotic purple
forms. The over-reliance on slapstick and
juvenile potty humor somewhat decreases
the impact of this follow-up chapter, but Despicable Me 2 is still wildly funny and an overall entertaining
feature for the entire family.
Overall
Recommendation: High
