As a seasoned film enthusiast, I’ve always been puzzled by the immense popularity of the Despicable Me franchise. The first movie was a heartwarming tale about the unconventional family we choose to embrace, while the second installment was a Minion-centric rehash of the original, swapping the girls’ acceptance narrative for a love interest for Gru. The Minions spin-off, though entertaining for children, wasn’t exactly a masterpiece, stretching the antics of the franchise’s weakest aspect – the minions – to fill a 90-minute film.
Hope for the Franchise?
My hope for the series to evolve into something more than just passable entertainment faded long ago. It’s harmless fun, but nothing more, seemingly destined to be a mere amusing diversion between Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks movies. You take the kids to see it, chuckle at some Minion gibberish, go home, and forget all about it.
That’s why the trailer for the upcoming Despicable Me 3 caught me off guard. Even a film aficionado like myself found it playful, enjoyable, and superior to any previous full-length installment in the franchise.
A New Adventure for Gru and Lucy
When a nerdy, 80’s-themed supervillain hijacks a cruise liner to steal a gigantic diamond, Gru and Lucy are sent by the Anti-Villain League to stop him. While there will undoubtedly be heartwarming side-stories involving their three adopted girls and plenty of Minion mishaps, that’s all the plot we have to work with.
Despite the lightweight narrative, the film appears to be a surprisingly good movie. Balthazar Bratt, the mullet-sporting, shoulder-padded supervillain that the AVL sends Gru and Lucy to stop, fully embraces his retro aesthetic. He moonwalks across water, weaponizes Rubik’s Cubes and Keytars, and engages in 1980’s dance battles to delightful effect. The witty banter between Gru and Lucy is entertaining, allowing Gru’s sarcasm to play off Lucy’s perpetual cheerfulness.
Minimizing the Minions?
Although there are bound to be plenty of scenes featuring everyone’s favorite Twinkie-colored henchmen, they were mercifully absent from the trailer. While it may be a long shot, this absence offers a glimmer of hope that their role will be minimized this time around, keeping the focus on the heart of the franchise: Gru and his reluctantly adopted family.
I can’t say that this is a movie I’ll be rushing to see in theaters next year, but the trailer has convinced me that it’s at least worth a DVD rental. It looks like a bit of lighthearted fun, and anyone who follows the news knows that’s in short supply these days.
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