With the best use of 3D effects in any animated feature I’ve seen this year and an endearing storyline involving three little girls and one supervillain with a heart of gold, DESPICABLE ME could score with families this weekend.
Following Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), a supervillain, as he struggles to do evil, DESPICABLE ME is charming and funny. Gru finds his place as the world’s best bad guy jeopardized when a new-comer who calls himself Vector (Jason Segel) has pulled off some massive heists. For example, Vector has just stolen one of the Pyramids—yes, this is a kid’s film, but this scene already spoiled in the trailer is still worth a chuckle. Gru aims to top him by stealing the Moon. And to do this Gru needs capital, which leads him to a bank suitably called The Bank of Evil (formerly Lehman Brothers). But when the bank denies him the funds, Gru has to go another way which involves adopting three orphan girls who have inadvertently found Vector’s weakness—cookies!
Good fun is to be had in DESPICABLE ME as funnyman Steve Carell voicing Gru tries on what seems to be some kind of Eastern European accent. And Carell is not alone in masking his identity. Hardly any of the celebrity voice talents are immediately recognizable. Russell Brand, for example, plays Gru’s partner in crime Dr. Nefario and Julie Andrews gives voice to Gru’s mom. However, it is doubtful that without a credit list, you’d be able to pick them out. Such choices illustrate how much thought was involved in crafting the story for DESPICABLE ME.
Instead of relying on name recognition of the star power involved, this film places the emphasis on the characters first. And at the top, Gru makes one unusual hero. A villain first, later an adoptive father, the world of DESPICABLE ME is a little upside down. Bad guys seem to operate in the open and even reside in suburban communities with neighbors. At no time do we get a look at any sort of superheroes to balance things out—this certainly isn’t THE INCREDIBLES or anything. I found the setting and tone a little off-putting initially, but I then adjusted as the topsy-turvy funny “Gru universe” took shape.
But moments of slap-stick humor aside, the heart of DESPICABLE ME is Gru’s relationship to the three little girls that he adopts and how that bond squares with his relationship with his own mother. Cute and even touching, the three little ones, led by iCARLY herself Miranda Cosgrove playing the eldest Margo, should connect well with younger viewers. And these adorable youngsters will melt the hearts of parents making for fine family viewing.
This summer 3D has been abused to eek out a few extra dollars from animated films like the final SHREK installment. But with DESPICABLE ME we get excellent use of the format making it worth the extra money. Make sure that you stay through the credits because Gru’s little yellow minions have a lot of fun testing out 3D. Aside from the Pixar short NIGHT & DAY, which should see sizable award buzz, DESPICABLE ME is a 3D film worth watching with your glasses on.
