Despicable Me 2

I adored "Despicable Me" and my wife and I could never agree which we liked more--that film or the similarly themed "Mega Mind". We liked them both but she preferred "Mega Mind". Regardless, both films are excellent and entertaining for all ages. Because "Despicable Me" made a huge amount of money, it wasn't surprising that soon after they announced they were making a sequel. And, when the early teaser promos arrived in theaters, they stressed the minions and said nothing about the sort of story the sequel would be. This was, apparently, very prescient--as the film turned out to be exactly that--a film with a vague plot but which was worth seeing just for the antics of the minions. In fact, my wife decided to see "Despicable Me 2" simply because she heard me laughing many times at the minions.

The film picks up pretty much right after the first one. Gru has adopted the three little girls and they, along with the minions and Dr. Lethario, are one big, happy family. However, trouble is brewing. Some super-villain has stolen a top secret formula that transforms nice creatures into killing machines--and a top secret international organization approaches the ex-villain, Gru, to help the locate the formula. They give him a spunky female sidekick and eventually romantic sparks fly. As far as the secret formula and the villain are concerned, this really seemed secondary to the romance and antics of the minions--and this plot seemed to wrap itself up quickly and easily.

As I said, the plot, for what it is, is minimal and seems to be just an excuse to watch the minions as well as the romance. And, for me, this was enough to justify recommending the film. Clearly not as good as the original, but filled with fun nonetheless.

Much funnier than the first one, Despicable Me 2 actually has me liking the second installation in a series much better than the original. A lot of sequels add in new characters. Some serve a purpose. Others not so much. This movie adds in new characters that are important. With funnier lines, funnier actions, and tons of minion madness, the movie has us focusing less on Gru's villainy, and more on the love life he never had.

The first Despicable Me was a wonderful film, so while there is the worry of whether a sequel would work you can't help wanting to see it anyway. Despicable Me 2 was just as good as the first one, maybe not as fresh in terms of plot but what worked so well in the first works equally well here. The animation, also having the advantage of staying true to the style and look that the first had, is bursting with vibrancy and colour without looking too over-saturated as well as having a lot of detail to it. The retro-futuristic designs and gadgets are inventive and very striking to look at, while the music has rousing energy and is also memorable. Despicable Me 2 in the writing and gags is peppered with humour, and this is of the laugh-out-loud hilarious kind, though because there's a lot and that you may be laughing so hard you may be at a risk of missing something. To counter-balance the hilarity, the film also incorporates a message, it is a heartfelt one and doesn't feel cloying and out-of-place. For what the story may lack slightly in freshness in correlation with the first, it more than makes up for it in wit, heart, excitement and how briskly it moves without feeling rushed. Having more of the minions- one of the best assets of the first film- was a masterstroke also, and their subplot also gave the story an increasing sense of jeopardy and threat(though theirs is a little more interesting than that of world domination). Gru is a lovable character, whether a villain like in the first or not, and adds a lot of charisma and energy to the film. The top-notch vocal talents of Steve Carrell, Steve Coogan, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt and even Russell Brand are a further advantage. All in all, like the first Despicable Me this sequel is fantastic family fun and equal to it. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Despicable Me 2 is a brilliant film with a great storyline and an impressive voice cast.I definitely wouldn't say it was better than the first Despicable Me,the first one was a lot more heartwarming,but it still is a very good sequel and has everything you want in a family film,humor for both young and older audiences.However,the story of the movie feels very scattered and throughout I felt like they were trying to fit too much in one hour and a half.Like the first Despicable Me,the Minions are the best part,and they get even more screen time in this one that they did previously,it's almost impossible not to laugh at these goofy and lovable characters.It's not as good as the first Despicable Me,but this sequel is very funny and an enjoyable movie for the whole family and I look forward to seeing what Illumination Entertainment does with these characters in the future.

Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) joins the Anti-Villain League in order to find an anonymous villain working on an experiment to turn the world evil.

So Despicable Me 2 is a very family funny/friendly animated comedy which at points really does make you laugh! If you are reading this now and haven't yet seen the trailer, I would recommend you don't watch the trailer and just go straight to the film, Some of the best parts are shown in the trailer. To watch this film you don't really need to have seen the first however I would recommend you do as at points the film refers to Despicable Me (1).

I'm going to keep this review short and simply say, I gave this film a 9* rating as I found it strongly entertaining, not as funny as I thought but still a great film! The story line was also very easy to follow and keeps you engaged throughout.

Would recommend this film to anyone! I would say most people will enjoy this film, find it entertaining and recommend it to there friends!

This film is perfect for any family to view!