Despicable Me 2: Gru’s lovin’ the good life

When we last saw super villain Gru (Steve Carell), he had just given up his evil ways to pursue a life of tranquility as father to three orphan girls. That’s essentially where 2010’s Despicable Me ended and the new sequel, Despicable Me 2, begins. If that’s not quite as exciting as a plot to steal the moon, well, then, Despicable Me 2 might not be as fulfilling as its predecessor. There’s something to be said for the life of a schemer.

The film begins with an arctic science lab being detached from its foundation and whisked away by a giant magnet. Turns out, the scientists at the station were conducting experiments on bunnies that turned them into indestructible warrior rabbits and someone took off with the technology. So Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), an enthusiastic Anti-Villain League agent, kidnaps Gru one night and takes him to her boss (Steve Coogan) who tries to convince the former evil doer to join the good guys. Gru initially declines, but he ultimately changes his mind and goes undercover to try to find out if a shopping mall tenant is hiding the chemical compound. Gru suspects one of the shop owners, Eduardo (Benjamin Bratt), who he thinks is really supervillain El Macho in disguise.

Of course, Gru, motivated by the fact that the bad guy has kidnapped his minions, ultimately is forced to save the day. Throughout the movie, Gru develops feelings for Lucy and struggles to control his daughter who starts dating Eduardo’s son (Moises Arias). Although the story is light and themes concerning romantic love are rather conventional, the filmmakers do a good job of keeping the comedy lively. And the minions are so entertaining, they practically carry the movie (be sure to stick around for the closing credits where they have some good 3-D fun). In the end, bad dates and a baked goods store in the mall do not a fantastic film make. We all know bad guys have