Despicable Me 2

Steve Carell’s Gru returns in a decent sequel that finds the former supervillain recruited by an organization known as the Anti-Villain League, with the movie detailing Gru’s efforts at unmasking the identity of a nefarious baddie bent on world domination. Despicable Me 2 manages, for the most part, to fall right in line with its affable yet unspectacular predecessor, as the film, directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, boasts a compulsively watchable feel that’s perpetuated by its bright, colorful visuals and army of pleasantly off-kilter characters – with Carell’s standout work as the likeable protagonist standing as the movie’s most appealing attribute. The propulsive narrative ensures that Despicable Me 2 fares surprisingly well in its opening half hour, although, by that same token, it’s as clear as ever that the film has been geared primarily towards younger audiences. (The mere presence of the kid-friendly Minions is proof enough of that.) It’s increasingly clear, however, that there’s not quite enough story here to sustain a feature-length running time, as Coffin and Renaud, working from a script by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, struggle to keep the momentum going through the movie’s almost episodic midsection. (There is, for example, a rather underwhelming subplot revolving around Gru’s oldest daughter’s flirtation with a local boy.) And although there are a few too many silly asides and over-the-top set pieces, Despicable Me 2 recovers for a surprisingly decent climactic stretch that is, by the standards of most contemporary animated fare, almost subdued in its execution – which ultimately cements the movie’s place as a passable followup that’s sure to amuse and entertain fans of the original.

**1/2 out of ****