The worst follically challenged criminal mastermind since Doctor Evil in Austin Powers, Gru (Steve Corell) dreams up a masterplan that will plant him on to the criminal map, but he needs 3 orphan girls to hatch it. Can he complete his mission of a lifetime or will the innocence of his new house guests show him there’s more to life than being bad?
It’s hard when referring to evildoers as ‘the worst’ not to conjure up images of a man at the top of his game, hatching the most wicked of plans and generally being a meanie of the highest calibre. In the introduction my description was more literal than complimentary. Gru really is the worst baddie.
Constantly out manoeuvred, out witted and out publicised by his new nemesis Vector (Jason Segal) and undervalued by his mother (Julie Andrews) Gru can’t even get funding from the Bank of Evil for his new grand scheme (bankers don’t even give to their own these days?).
He needs to find other means, other more despicable means, like using 3 orphan girls to unwittingly help him complete his grand scheme. And he can’t do this alone. He has the help of an evil professor, Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand appearing to do an impression of his dad) and of course, hundreds of walking tic-tacs, his Minions!
Despicable Me is sharp, witty and achieves the Grail of having the parents laugh the loudest. But it seems to have all been done before. The film seems to borrow notions and jokes from the likes of Austin Powers, Shrek, and The Grinch. But that kids aren’t going to care, there’s a Fart-Gun in there. Neither are the parents as the story develops on a typical trajectory of baddie meets orphans, baddie begins to like orphans, but peppered with enough gags to carry the format.
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