Movie Review: Despicable Me 2

(Note: I had thought this opened today, but it turns out it comes out July 3rd. as a result I'm not really supposed to post it. So... nobody tell the studio on me, OK?)

In "Despicable Me 2," out in theaters next week, Steve Carell returns as the voice of Gru, a (now) former evil mastermind trying to adjust to his new life with his three beloved girls. But Gru is not a man for backyard cookouts,  and playing nice with the neighbors, so once the government tries to get him to help them find a new evil menace, he grabs his Freeze Ray, and gets the minions ready for action.  

Like the 2010 original, "DM2" is a fun colorful romp, with lots of likable characters (especially the Minions.) Mind you, this is a sequel, and so some of the novelty of the concept has worn off a bit, but the writers did a good job at enforcing the parts of the original that worked (the Minions) and adding more characters who fit well into the goofy assortment. 

The 3D effects are still also as good, if not better than the original. Mind you, many are BLATANT uses of 3D, but to be honest, some of the best uses of 3D are blatant.  They do a great job of reminding you why you forked out that extra money, and allowed the film to be a bit dimmer.  Still, the 3D is not crucial to the plot, and if you're looking to save some money, then feel free to.

Parents, while this is a family film, it is PG. There are some moments of peril for some of the characters. And while the minions appear to be immune from any of the damage,  they still do hit each other quite a bit. But, like the first one, I feel the violence is mostly harmless, and balanced by what is, at its heart, a plot with a positive message. 

So, if you're looking to take the kids out, or maybe you just need a break from being some damn serious all the time, then I recommend that you check it out. 

Just for fun, here's my review for 2010's "Despicable Me."

And tell them Doktor Klankenboom sent ya!