When a criminal mastermind uses a trio of orphan girls as pawns for a grand scheme, he finds himself profoundly changed by the growing love between them.
With any film aimed at children its good to review it in two ways: How the children like it, and can adults tolerate it for the hour and a half while they sit with their children. Despicable Me wins on both accounts and provides a riotous comedy that is voice by great actors, is offered in 3D, and sure to make adult and child alike laugh.
The plot is a bumbling evil genius character who has tons of minions, engages in nefarious activities, but whose life is turned upside down when three young children are introduced to it.
What follows is a great animated movie aimed directly at children which, unlike many other modern kids films, avoids encountering too many adult issues and themes, and instead provides a basic plot for the comedy and laughs to be based on.
The animations of the minions are brilliant, and make sure you stick around during the credits for some extras. As far as the 3D quality of this animation I was left a little dissapointed, and really think in 2D the movie would be just as fine, it did not seem to add an extra dimension at all to the film, but I am yet to see an animated film, where 3D does, to any great degree. Compared even to the 3D effect of How to Train A Dragon it is definitely second grade but, of course I’m reviewing a film, not the format, and with a cinema full of children there was only the occasional four year old stumbling down the aisle in boredom, the majority glued to the animation and loving every moment of it, the parents sharing the laughter too, with one particular scene: make sure you look up, when the character of Gru enters the bank, and look at the bank name!
Is it the best. most original, Childrens’ film so far, in 2010? Yes. A must see for children, and entertaining enough to keep adults enjoying it also. Despicable Me is a good product that proves what happens when you combine great animation, a basic plot, great voices for the characters, and a light-hearted comedic approach aimed at children with some easter eggs for adults, without over-doing the storyline or drowning kids in dialogue.
A perfect balance for all ages. I’m giving it 3 and a half.