Movie Review – Despicable Me 2 (2013)
Back in 2010, the animated film Despicable Me introduced us to a super villain named Gru and the relationship he develops with three orphaned girls.
The film was not only great but a smash hit with the audiences as well. It was just a matter of time before a sequel was created.
Despicable Me 2 was released in the summer of 2013. The animated film brought back Gru, his assistant, the three girls and the army of minions for another adventure. This time around another villain is set to destroy the world, and it’s up to the Anti-Villain League (AVL) to stop him. Gru is paired with a young female agent, and the two of them discover the evil plot as well as inner feelings towards each other.
Directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, Steve Carell returns as the voice of Gru. Supporting him are Kristen Wiig as Lucy Wilde, Benjamin Bratt as Eduardo “El Macho” Perez, Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario, and Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier and Elsie Fisher in the roles of Margo, Edith and Agnes.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Despicable Me 2 begins at a top secret research facility up north in the Arctic Circle. It seems like an ordinary day at the research laboratory until a giant flying magnet suddenly hovers overhead. The magnet is activated and the whole research facility and everything else that’s metal is pulled into the sky and grabbed by the mysterious flying machine.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Meanwhile, Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) is hosting a birthday party for Agnes (voiced by Elsie Fisher), his youngest adopted daughter. His two other daughters, Margo (voiced by Miranda Cosgrove) and Edith (voiced by Dana Gaier), are there as well along with some of Gru’s minions (almost all minions were voiced by Pierre Coffin). The birthday party goes well until Gru learns that a fairy princess will not be able to make it despite being promised by the agency. Not wanting to disappoint his daughters and their friends, Gru dons a fairy princess costume and the minions help him “fly” around and entertain the children.
After the party, one of the moms tries to hook Gru up with another single mom, but Gru is against dating anybody.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
While Gru is outside with his dog, he’s kidnapped by Lucy Wilde (voiced by Kristen Wiig) of the Anti-Villain League (AVL). Two of the minions are kidnapped as well. Lucy drives them off a pier and underwater her cars transforms into a submarine. She then cruises underwater until docking inside of a much larger submarine.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
The submarine is a secret base of the AVL. Silas Ramsbottom (voiced by Steve Coogan) is the head of the secret organization that’s trying to save the world. Ramsbottom explains that they don’t care about petty crimes. When the safety of the planet is at stake, then they care. The AVL was well aware of Gru’s previously evil ways and the way that he stole (and later returned) the Moon.
The meeting continues and Gru is informed about the recent disappearance of a top secret laboratory in the Arctic Circle. It’s revealed that the laboratory was conducting experiments with PX-41, a powerful mutagen that can transform harmless critters into killing machines.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Knowing that Gru is a former villain who knows how villains think and operate, the AVL wants Gru to help discover who was behind the theft of the research station. Gru denies the offer and informs Ramsbottom that instead of being evil, he is a businessman and developing a line of jams and jellies. When he leaves, Lucy gives him a card with her contact information should he change his mind. Gru is then forced to use a rowboat to make it back to shore.
Back at home, the girls pester Gru about why he doesn’t go out on a date. There’s a flashback and we see that Gru tried to ask out a girl, but he was teased and shunned by the other kids. He didn’t try again after that point. As he’s saying good night to the girls, Gru learns that Margo has been texting a guy that she knows. Gru isn’t exactly pleased that she’s talking to a boy.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
In Gru’s underground laboratory, the minions are helping Gru make his jams and jellies. Dr. Nefario (voiced by Russell Brand) is also helping, though his flavor tastes terrible. The bigger problem is that Dr. Nefario is not happy with Gru’s non-evil ways. He still wants to be an evil scientist. Dr. Nefario tells Gru that he’s received an offer to work with another scientist, and he’s leaving for good. Gru is not happy to lose his partner, but he sends him off with honor —- a 21-gun salute using the fart gun.
Gru has a change of heart and decides to join the AVL. His girls are pleased that he’s going to save the world. Meanwhile, one of the minions is kidnapped by a mysterious person.
The AVL has traced the PX-41 mutagen to Paradise Mall, a nearby shopping mall, but they don’t know which merchant is really an evil villain. It’s up to Gru to go undercover and solve the mystery.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
As part of his undercover identity, Gru is given a bakery called “Bake My Day” to serve as his headquarters. Lucy Wilde surprises Gru inside of the bakery, and she informs him that she’s his partner for this assignment. While the two of them are spying on the other merchants, in walks Eduardo Perez (voiced by Benjamin Bratt), the owner of a Mexican restaurant called “Salsa & Salsa.” He needs an order of 200 cupcakes for his upcoming Cinco de Mayo party.
The only problem is that Eduardo has a striking resemblance to a super-villain called “El Macho,” but El Macho is dead. Gru claims that El Macho was killed when he strapped explosives to himself and jumped out of an airplane and rode a shark into an active volcano. Did El Macho survive? Is he still alive and hiding behind a false identity?
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Suspicious that Eduardo Perez is hiding the PX-41 mutagen, Gru and Lucy sneak into the Salsa & Salsa restaurant that night after the mall closes. It’s an easy break-in until an attack chicken gives Gru a ferocious fight. Lucy is able to neutralize the chicken, and the two of them discover a secret item hidden in the restaurant’s kitchen. The secret item is actually a salsa recipe, not the PX-41.
Eduardo returns to the restaurant that night and notices the robbery. With the help of two minions, Gru and Lucy are able to escape from the restaurant and Eduardo before being identified.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
The next day, an ice cream truck passes by Gru’s house. The minions notice the truck and all go running outside to get a cold treat. But it’s a trick. The ice cream truck uses a vacuum-like device to capture all the minions.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Gru and Lucy return to the Paradise Mall to continue searching for the PX-41 mutagen. This time Gru brings along the girls, and they’re pleased to meet Lucy, especially little Agnes. Agnes later tosses a coin into a water fountain and hopes for a mother like Lucy. It’s at the fountain where Margo meets and falls for a local boy named Antonio (voiced by Moises Arias). He asks her out on a mini-date right there in the mall.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
While the girls are occupied, Lucy outfits Gru with a special belt buckle that can detect traces of the PX-41. He then goes to a wig shop named “Eagle Hair Club” and speaks with the owner, Floyd Eagle-san (voiced by Ken Jeong). The store appears to be clean until Gru’s belt buckle indicates PX-41 behind one of the shop’s walls. Just as Gru is about to break through a wall, Floyd gives Gru a wig that he basically guarantees will impress the ladies.
Suddenly Edith and Agnes run into the wig store and tell Gru that Margo has a boyfriend and is going on a date. This infuriates Gru and he finds Margo with Antonio sitting at a table at Salsa & Salsa. It turns out that Antonio is Eduardo Perez’s son. Eduardo encourages for Margo and Antonio to spend more time together, and everybody is invited to Eduardo’s house for his Cinco de Mayo party.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Back at the AVL headquarters, Gru insists that Eduardo Perez is really El Macho, and he, especially his son, are really behind the plot behind the PX-41 theft. Of course, it seems that Gru may be a bit biased as there isn’t any evidence against Eduardo or Antonio. The small amount of evidence is really pointing towards the owner of the wig store, Floyd Eagle-san.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Meanwhile, Gru’s minions are out partying on a small tropical island. None of them seem to mind that they were kidnapped and taken to a remote location.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
The next day Gru is set up to go out on a date with a single woman named Shannon (voiced by Kristen Schaal). Gru decides to wear the wig given to him by Floyd Eagle-san. The two of them go out to eat at an Italian restaurant. Gru quickly learns that Shannon is a very superficial woman who cannot stand phonies. When she discovers that Gru is really wearing a wig, she threatens to pull it off his head and expose his secret to the whole restaurant. Thankfully Lucy is at the restaurant getting an order of food to go. She spots Gru and his date, and she uses a tranquillizer to stop Shannon before she can humiliate Gru.
Gru and Lucy deliver an unconscious Shannon back to her home. After dropping off Shannon, Gru realizes just how much he likes Lucy. This puts him in a great mood and Gru is extra nice, friendly and playful with everybody in town.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
That day the AVL arrests Floyd Eagle-san, though Floyd claims that he was framed. The PX-41 container is empty. As far as Silas Ramsbottom is concerned the case is now closed. He informs Gru that his services with the AVL are no longer needed. He also mentions that Lucy Wilde is being transferred to an AVL branch in Australia.
Lucy shows up in the shopping mall to say good-bye to Gru. Clearly, neither of them want to be separated though they don’t say so. Before she leaves, Lucy gives Gru her lipstick taser as a way of remembering her. Gru returns home heartbroken. He later confesses to Agnes that he actually cared for Lucy, and he’s saddened that he’ll never see her again.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Back at the tropical island, two of the minions are taken to a separate room where they’re injected with PX-41. Both of the minions transform into purple, furry monsters.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
In town, Gru takes the girls to Eduardo Perez’s lavish Cinco de Mayo party. Gru isn’t thrilled though with Antonio dancing and flirting with Margo, and he continually tries to disrupt his actions. His efforts fail and Gru is forced to accept defeat. As he’s sitting alone with a chip hat, Gru sees Eduardo sneak away to another part of his mansion. He follows and makes his way past an intricate security system and into Eduardo’s secret headquarters.
In the secret headquarters, Gru realizes that Eduardo Perez is really El Macho. He was correct after all! El macho is pleased to see Gru discover his secret as he has admired Gru’s previous work. He wants Gru to join him with his plan of destroying the world. It’s then revealed that Dr. Nefario is actually working for El Macho.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
El Macho shows Gru one of the monster minions and shares his plan for destroying the world. The secret plan involves sending the hundreds of monster minions to the different cities, and having them destroy everything. The little monsters are indestructible. Nothing can stop them.
Gru flees from El Macho’s headquarters and makes it back upstairs to the party. He discovers that Margo is saddened and very upset with Antonio. Apparently the boy has dumped Margo in favor of a more attractive girl. Gru gets a little revenge by using his freeze gun to freeze Antonio into a block of ice.
While flying to Australia, Lucy Wilde realizes just how much she misses Gru. She easily opens the airliner’s door (not possible while at cruising altitude, but this is a cartoon) and jumps out. Lucy then uses a rocket-powered glider to fly to Eduardo’s Cinco de Mayo party to find Gru. Gru isn’t there, but Eduardo notices how his pet chicken is not happy with Lucy. The last time his chicken was this angry was the night that his restaurant was robbed. Eduardo suddenly realizes that Lucy was there during the robbery. He then sees Lucy’s ID badge and realizes that she’s working for the AVL.
Back at home, Gru receives an urgent call from Dr. Nefario. He informs Gru that El Macho knows that Gru is working for the AVL, and that El Macho has kidnapped Lucy. The call disconnects before Dr. Nefario can say anything else.
Not all of Gru’s minions were kidnapped by El Macho and Dr. Nefario. Gru takes two of them with him and rides his motorcycle to El Macho’s hideout.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Back at Gru’s house, one of the purple minion monsters makes its way into the house and scares the girls. He follows them down to the laboratory and tries to attack them. Just before the monster minion does so, Dr. Nefario injects him with a PX-41 antidote. The antidote works and the monster transforms back into a regular minion.
Gru gains entrance to El Macho’s compound by pretending that he’s a prisoner. He paints his two minions purple so that they look like monsters. But when they’re inside of the compound, one of the minion’s paint smears, showing the minion’s true yellow skin. The monsters realize that they’re been fooled and chase Gru and his yellow minions. He climbs on top of a tower, but the monsters follow.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Just as it looks like the end of Gru, suddenly Gru’s flying machine arrives. It’s being piloted by Dr. Nefario, and the girls are manning machine guns. The machine guns are firing globs of Nefario’s jelly that has been mixed with the antidote. As the girls fire at the monsters, they all quickly change back into regular minions.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
El Macho is upset but not about to be defeated. He drinks the last of the PX-41 mutagen and mutates into a large purple monster. Gru eventually stops the monster El Macho by using Lucy’s lipstick taser. Dr. Nefario then uses his fart gun to knock out the monster.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Before changing into a monster, El Macho had tied Lucy to a rocket that’s aimed at a nearby volcano. Gru rushes to save her from the deadly ride. The rocket is accidentally launched when El Macho’s chicken pecks on the control button. Gru is able to use a knife to cut her ropes, but he’s unable to change the rocket’s trajectory. After asking Lucy out on a date, both Gru and Lucy jump into the ocean. The rocket crashes and triggers a volcanic eruption, but Gru and Lucy are safe in the ocean.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – (c) Universal Pictures
Back at home, Gru and Lucy get married after going out on 147 dates. The girls are thrilled that they finally have a mother. The minions help celebrate by singing “I Swear” and “Y.M.C.A.”
Despicable Me 2 ends with a few minions auditioning to be in Minions, the upcoming minion movie scheduled to be released in July of 2015.
So is Despicable Me 2 any good?
Despicable Me 2 is a pretty good film and good continuation of the first Despicable Me movie. The plot is decent, most of the characters are great, and most of the film is enjoyable.
My biggest problem with this film was the character Lucy Wilde. That woman was too annoying to be in the Anti-Villain League, let alone somebody to be a match for Gru. Her mannerisms were too quirky and her personality was just too wacky for my preference.
Minor issues with Despicable Me 2 include the whole rocket flight sequence near the end (Gru and Lucy should have been killed when they landed in the water), not doing anything cool with the volcano, and there being too many minion moments in the film. On top of that, Gru is much better when he’s evil, like most of the first film. It’s just not as funny with him being nice and friendly in this film.
My fiancée is convinced that if we have girls as children, I’ll be acting just like Gru. Maybe I will. 😉
Despicable Me 2 (2013) – movie trailer
Despite those issues, Despicable Me 2 is still a good film with plenty of laughs. It lacks the spirit of the first Despicable Me film, but this is still a worthy addition.
Gru – “Oh, attitude. That’s right. So thanks but no thanks. And here’s a tip: Instead of tasing people and kidnapping them, maybe you should give them a call! Good day, Mr. Sheepsbutt.”
Silas – “Ramsbottom.”
Gru – [chuckles sarcastically] “Yeah, like that’s any better.”
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Gru – “Avery? Is that a girl’s name or a boy’s name?”
Margo – “Does it matter?”
Gru – “No. No, it doesn’t matter, unless it’s a boy!”
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Agnes – [after rehearing for the Mother’s Day play] “I don’t think I should do this.”
Gru – “Well, what do you mean? Why not?”
Agnes – “I don’t even have a mom.”
Gru – “Well, you don’t need one to do the show. I mean, you did the Veteran’s Day pageant and you haven’t been in combat.”