Despicable Me 2

Other than the holiday time in the months of November and December, the time we see a plethora of animated flicks is probably in the summer season. It makes sense since the kids are out of school and families are thinking of doing fun things. We saw a very clever animated film back in 2010 titled "Despicable Me", and it was a very refreshing story about a supervillain taking care of three small girls while he's attempting to conquer the world. Well, we now have a follow up of that story aptly titled "Despicable Me 2".

While Gru (Steve Carell), the ex-supervillain is adjusting to family life and an attempted honest living in the jam business, a secret Arctic Lab is stolen. The Anti-Villain League (AVL) decides it needs an insider's help and recruits Gru in the investigation. Together with the energetic and over-the-top AVL agent, Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), Gru concludes that his prime suspect is the presumed dead supervillain, El Macho (Benjamin Bratt) whose teenage son, Antonio (Moises Arias) is also making the moves on Gru's eldest daughter, Margo (Miranda Cosgrove). Seemingly blinded by his overprotectiveness of his children and his growing mutual attraction to Lucy, Gru seems on the wrong track even as his minions are being quietly kidnapped en masse for some malevolent purpose.

Others to round out the cast are Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario, Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom, Ken Jeong as Floyd, Elsie Fisher as Agnes, another daughter of Gru's, Dana Gaier as Edith, the other daughter of Gru's, Nasim Pedrad as Jillian, Kristen Schaal as Shannon, Pierre Coffin as Kevin the Minion, Bob the Minion, Stuart the Minion, Additional Minions, and Evil Minions, Chris Renaud as Additional Minions, Evil Minions, and Italian Waiter, and Nickolai Stoilov as Arctic Lab Guard.

This was effortlessly directed by Pierre Coffin ("Despicable Me" '10) and Chris Renaud. These guys have done many shorts with little to no theatrical feature experience, but were able to really pull this off. These characters were amazingly three-dimensional in their interactions with one another. It was written by Ken Daurio ("Bubble Boy" '01, "42K" '01, "The Santa Clause 2" '02, "Horton Hears a Who" '08, "Despicable Me" '10, "Hop" '11, "The Lorax" '12) and Cinco Paul ("Bubble Boy" '01, "The Santa Clause 2" '02, "Horton Hears a Who" '08, "Despicable Me" '10, "Hop" '11, "The Lorax" '12). I realize that this was a continuation from where the original left off, but I feel it had a few slow spots in story, but overall it was a story that did keep my attention. Since the writers also wrote the original, the similar feel was experienced in both films.

If you liked the original film, you'll love this. Carell's Gru and Wiig's Lucy had great chemistry and who wouldn't just love the minions. Universal Pictures struck gold with this, and with its 3D process, you'll be rooting for Gru et.al. from beginning to end.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                       Rated: PG                        98mins.