Has it really been 7 years since we were introduced to
master criminal Gru and his merry band of misfit yellow henchmen the Minions?
Apparently so. But that hasn’t stopped them from invading the pop culture world
and taking it be storm as well as leading to a spin off with the banana singing
creatures as well as now two sequels the latest of which has just been released
on DVD.
Gru (Steve Carell) has been working for the AVL
(Anti-Villainy League) with his now wife Lucy (Kristin Wiig) for a while now
when the call goes out about a new bad guy on the loose. Balthazar Bratt (Trey
Parker) was once a popular child star appearing as a pre-teen criminal with
world conquering aspirations. Then puberty hit and his career ended. Now he’s
decided to take on the persona of master criminal for real and seek revenge on
Hollywood.
With a penchant for 80s pop songs and a fierce mullet
complete with spiked hair atop, Balthazar tries to steal the world’s biggest
jewel. Gru and Lucy foil him but with some embarrassment along the way, enough
that they are fired from the AVL.
Fortunately at the same time Gru learns that he had a twin
brother, Dru, who wants to connect with him. Gru, Lucy and their girls Margo,
Edith and Agnes, are whisked off to Freedonia where they find Dru runs a
successful pig operation. Or so it seems. In truth he longs to be a master
criminal like both he and Gru’s father was.
As Gru learns more about his past and his brother he
concocts a plot to please both his brother and get his job back. The major
theft he plans is that of the jewel Balthazar stole when it was successfully
returned to its home. With the help of Dru he just might do it.
But there are others involved in these stories right? The
girls are paid less attention this time around and it is Lucy who deals more
with them than Gru this time. Lucy is still trying to get the hang of this
being a mother thing and it’s not as easy a task as she thought but she’s
learning.
And the Minions, what about them? When Gru gets fired they
abandon him because he won’t return to a life of crime. On their own they are
eventually arrested and sent to prison but not before winning a singing
competition.
Eventually all the storylines come together and make for a
satisfying movie that entertains and delights both children and adults. There
are the usual slightly gross jokes for the snickering kids, some jokes placed
that adults will get and kids won’t and a lot of love between the characters
which has actually been the trademark of the series. It’s never been all about
being evil or good but about caring for others that has made this movie series
as successful as it is.
The animation here is superb and has been from the start.
While I’m still a huge fan of the old style Disney animation it’s movies like
this one that are winning me over. The visual gags that they pull off in the
film would not be achieved in a reality based film and the computer animation
lends itself to those sort of jokes. The old two dimensional style would have
seemed more realistic and thus not worked as well.
While the combination of story, animation and voice acting
skills combine to make this a great movie those who are fans know that the DVD
release means there will be extras worth looking at. There are two music videos
to be found as well as a mini-movie THE SECRET LIFE OF KYLE. There is no such
thing as too much Minions and this proves true here.
DESPICABLE ME 3 is a movie worth renting but my own
suggestion is buying and owning it. As a matter of fact pick them all up. I
know in my case having done so I’ll pop one in every now and then and get a
laugh and my heart tugged and enjoy every minute of it. And since we’re this
close to Christmas this movie would make a fantastic stocking stuffer. Consider
this one a must have.
Click here to order.
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