Cute and entertaining for children and adults alike.
In continuation with the first movie, ex-villain Gru (Steve Carell) is now a full-time father to his adoptive daughters Margo, Agnes, and Edith. He is an overly protective father and makes sure that his daughters get the best of things they deserve. He also stopped with his evil schemes and started using his inventions for more creative and harmless ways. Meanwhile, a secret laboratory in the Arctic which contains a biological weapon (no this isn't a zombie flick) is mysteriously stolen. This causes the Anti-Villain League (AVL) to respond and decides that they should get someone who knows how a villain thinks. What a surprise, they choose Gru. Initially refusing, he agrees to take on the job and is partnered with the eccentric AVL agent Lucy (Kristen Wiig).
This movie is actually one of the films I have been waiting for since last year. The first movie was great and it made me so excited yet also doubtful when I first saw the minion teasers. True enough, the movie did not fail. It may not have able to surpass its predecessor but its original and creative in its own way.
One reason why I was also doubtful about this movie before watching it was in regards to what direction are they taking the characters for the sequel. The first film ended with the villain turning into a good guy. That's almost the perfect ending and can make do without a sequel already. So the greatest challenge that this film had was how are they going to develop the characters even further and in what way will they make it work. This time, they chose to bring out the romantic element while still incorporating family values.
What I really loved about this film is that it really kept me in a good mood from beginning until the end. The punch lines and slapstick were funny and was able to keep the audience, especially the children, entertained. BUT, not all is well. As the movie progresses, there are a few scenes where it can be a little dull and draggy. The sudden jokes and humor of the minions that come out of nowhere will just snap you back into the comedy film that it is. Speaking of minions, though they are cute, I felt that the movie was all about them. The minions have too much airtime that it's worrisome that the main characters might be overshadowed and left forgotten by the viewers the moment the movie ends. In relation to this, another problem that I have with the minions' humor is that they can get a little bit old and recycled as the movie goes on. They might have different scenarios and gags but some of them feel like one joke split into two and placed in both ends of the movie. I also noticed how some of the jokes also want to make the adults laugh. Not exactly innuendos but something that would make the adults laugh in a different way of understanding than that of the children's.
In terms of the plot of the film, I really like looking at the bigger picture but once you start concentrating on the different parts and segments of the story can be a bit troublesome. If my memory serves me right, the movie can somehow be divided into three parts, each showing different characteristics of Gru. One is being an overly protective father, one being a hopeless romantic, and another one for being the hero. Gru being a hopeless romantic was given more importance in this film. It's basically where the entire movie revolves on as the rest follow.
The characters in the movie suffered a bit from mediocre character development. Only Gru and Agent Lucy's development was highlighted. The children who used to serve a great role in the first film seemed to have been demoted to a lower position of character importance while the minions on the other hand was uplifted. On the bright side, the I like the additional characters in the film and how each and every one of them has his/her own remarkable traits that can be remembered.
If there's one thing that I really loved in this movie is its animation and editing. I definitely love the new environments they designed for the film such as the mall and the huge mansion of the villain. There are so much more to see actually; from Gru's gadgets and lair to underwater hideouts and even exploding volcanoes. I loved how they paid great attention to details and managed to capture the beauty of how an animated film should look like. They were able to pull it off and show the viewers that Pixar isn't the only one capable of doing such animated movies.
In conclusion, the film was great and it offered some good laughs. Though it lacks the emotional drive that the first film had, it was good enough for a sequel. If you're looking for some laughs, then this movie might be for you but if you're looking for one of those animated films that are emotionally driven yet still funny, then this might not cut your list.
Rating: 3/5
No comments:
Post a Comment