When we last saw Felonious Gru, former super-villain, he had adopted three adorable orphan girls: Margo, Edith, and Agnes. They’ve formed their own surrogate family as he’s settled into a life of blissful domesticity. However, when a secret laboratory somewhere near the Arctic Circle, is lifted and taken by a large flying magnet, The Anti-Villain League (AVL) calls Gru out of retirement so he may help solve the case by thinking like a criminal. This is the basic outline of the tale, but Despicable Me 2 is a much more relaxed affair than its predecessor. The storytelling isn’t centered on advancing plot but rather focused completely on earning laughs. It’s almost Zen-like in its approach to humor.
The voice actors give the cast vigor pushing this from the enjoyable to the revelatory. There’s a zippy exaggeration of their actions that make their performances even funnier. Steve Carell is once again, compelling as the lead. When Gru walks down the street with the confidence of a man in love, the musical interlude is as triumphant as John Travolta’s famous strut in Saturday Night Fever. Kristen Wiig is back, but this time as Lucy Wilde, an AVL agent. The actress’ real expressions and body movements can be seen in the animation. Every raised eyebrow, awkward statement, and nervous gesture is there. Watching her behave is an absolute delight. Her development from adversary to ally is bewitching. It’s unusual that while she is competent, she’s not particularly beautiful, a rarity in a cartoon love interest. The complete manifestation of the character is captivating. The head of the AVL, Silas Sheepsbutt, oops I mean, Ramsbottom is played by Steve Coogan. (That was their joke, by the way) He speaks with an affected sophistication. Ken Jeong as a wig store proprietor and Benjamin Bratt as the owner of a Mexican restaurant, are possible suspects in Gru’s search. They’re amusing editions that highlight great voice casting coupled with wonderful animation.
Where sequels often lazily retread Part 1, Despicable Me 2 aims higher. Gru is now an entrepreneur with a new line of jams, tapped to aid in the capture of a mysterious evildoer. In his personal life, he’s attempting to meet someone special. The story unfolds with the focus of a gentle stroll and the production is the better for it. The chronicle builds upon Gru’s character from the original as it explores the possibility of a girlfriend for him. There’s a familiarity, a knowing sarcasm with the pitfalls of the dating world that infuses Gru’s journey. This is especially true concerning Shannon, a gum-chewing blonde bimbo he goes on a date with. She favors unnaturally orange tans and leopard print dresses. You could say she comes across as a tad superficial. “Your accent is so exotic,” she says in her Valley Girl patois. “I know someone who can fix that for you.“
For all of Despicable Me 2’s speedy 98 minutes, it never ceases to be anything less than a snappy joy. It is a gag-filled fun fest. We hear a rumor that a past villain died while riding a shark into a volcano with 250 pounds of TNT strapped to his chest. Then they proceed to show you what that might look like. The atmosphere is steeped in the manic lunacy of animator Tex Avery’s MGM cartoons of the 40s and 50s. This brings me to Gru’s minions which take on an even more pivotal role this time around. Their nonsensical language is exploited for maximum giggles. I can’t over-emphasize how wonderful they are here. There’s a zaniness that children will adore, but there’s also an edge that adults will appreciate.
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