Universal Pictures new release Despicable ME 3 stars Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Trey Parker, and brings back Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Nev Scharrel as Margo, Edith and Agnes.
Of course, there must be Minions, as well!
In this third installment of the animated series, Gru (Carell) and Lucy (Wiig) are fired from the Anti-Villain League for letting Balthazar Bratt (Parker) slip away, and embark on an adventure of trying to figure out “what’s next” in their lives.
In the midst of his employment dilemma, Gru discovers he has a long-lost twin brother Dru (also voiced by Carell), and takes the family off to see him in Fredonia. There, he discovers that his brother and his father have a successful pig-farming business, and appear to be quite wealthy. Lucy and the girls are immediately enamored of Dru, but Gru is not so easily won over, especially when he becomes jealous of his brothers luxurious hair.
Dru reveals that the family empire is built not just on the fruits of the pig empire, but also on their fathers’ secret villainy, and tells Gru that he was their dads’ biggest disappointment. Dru wants Gru to teach him how to be a super-villain, as he has always aspired to follow Gru’s footsteps.
While Dru and Gru set off to find and recover the giant diamond stolen by Balthazar Bratt, Lucy follows the girls around Fredonia.
The movie is full of 80’s tunes, brought on by the premise that Bratt is a failed 80’s child star.
The minions have less of a presence in this film, but when they are onscreen, they do provide the usual laughs we would associate with them. The best Minion scene is likely the musical number in prison.
I found the Balthazar Bratt character impossibly annoying, although I do acknowledge that that may have been “the point”. I found myself dreading his next interaction within the movie.
Despite that, I thought the movie flowed well, and I especially enjoyed the development of the relationships between Lucy and Margo, Edith and Agnes. Lucy’s “momma bear” moments made me smile.
My 8 year old son liked the movie a lot, and said his favorite parts were the bubble-gum weapon of the villain, and the new car that Dru and Gru use for their escapades. He especially liked that the end of the film left open the possibility of yet another installment of the Despicable Me series.
The child gives the movie 4 out of 5 stars, I myself would give it 3.5 out of 5, as I couldn’t quite get past the annoyance of the Bratt character, but besides that, overall, found it enjoyable.
