Despicable Me
"Cute and wonderfully inventive"
Synopsis
In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden beneath this house is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by a small army of minions, we discover Gru (Steve Carell), planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon. Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays, and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad. The world's greatest villain has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Fisher).—Universal Pictures
Main Characters
- Vector - As the arrogant, ambitious antagonist of the film, this tech-savvy villain is hell-bent on outshining his nemesis in the world of super-villainy.
- Gru - Initially a scheming, cold-hearted villain, the protagonist's character arc is marked by growth in both compassion and self-awareness.
- Agnes - An innocent, wide-eyed little girl with a heart of gold, this character is the youngest of the three orphaned sisters.
- Margo - The eldest of the three sisters, this character is fiercely protective and takes charge of her siblings' welfare.
- Edith - This tomboyish, adventurous middle sister is never afraid to speak her mind and take risks.
- Tim the Minion - Always ready for action, he enthusiastically participates in the protagonist's schemes, carrying out the necessary tasks with a blend of clumsiness and ingenuity.
- Dave the Minion - As one of the taller and more mature Minions, this character subtly contrasts his smaller, more impulsive counterparts. However, his serious demeanor doesn't keep him from participating in the fun and adventure that unfolds throughout the film.
I heard that this movie was very good, and after seeing seeing it myself, I have to say I heartily concur. While not my favorite film of the year, and the film never tries to be that, Despicable Me is cute and wonderfully inventive. While it could have been a little longer, what made Despicable Me work was a number of things. The animation for starters is stunning, I liked the colors and character designs but it was the backgrounds and retro-futurist design that blew me away, while the gadgetry is ingenious.
ReplyDeleteThe music fits very well with the film and is memorable without being overly ambitious or simplistic, the story is ceaselessly inventive and fast paced with a surprisingly clever subplot about the importance of family. The characters also add a lot, Gru is wonderfully zany especially and I found it impossible not to fall in love with his minions, they are so cute. But my favorite assets of Despicable Me are the humor and the voice cast. The writing is just excellent, it was so funny and incredibly smart without feeling too much, while the voice work is exemplary, especially from Steve Carell whose brilliant vocals add a lot to the film's success.
Overall, it is a truly great film with a lot to like. 9/10