MOVIE REVIEW: Despicable Me (2010) ****

Review:

While it's true that Disney's Pixar has been setting the standard for great CGI films for more than a decade now, the thought of them being the only game in town when it comes to creating quality CGI product is slowly beginning to change.  In the last couple of years DreamWorks Animation has really been upping their game with films like "Kung Fu Panda," "How to Train Your Dragon," and "Megamind." And now Universal Animation Studios has officially thrown their hat into the ring with "Despicable Me." (Y'know, because everyone has forgotten about "The Tale of Despereaux," which is exactly how Universal wants it.)

"Despicable Me," is the story of Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), a gangly bald and black clad super-villain with dreams of being regarded as the world's greatest bad guy.  Unfortunately for Gru, he's somewhat inept.  It's not that he doesn't have the tools, because he does.  For starters he has the look down pat, he has his own army of loyal minions, he has an evil scientist down in the lab creating all he can dream up, hell…he's even got a weird Eastern European accent!  The one thing Gru doesn't possess, however, is the ability to think BIG.

After news breaks that a giant Egyptian Pyramid has been stolen, and replaced with a big inflatable one, Gru is met with pity from his evil scientist, Dr. Nefario (voiced by Russell Brand), and is mocked by his mother (voiced by Julie Andrews).  This certainly isn't the sort of treatment the world's greatest bad guy should receive!  But Gru has a plan to change all that: He's going to steal the moon!

Steve Carell's voice work is great. When combined with the animation, Gru really pops off the screen as a fully realized character that outwardly looks like he's got the world in the palm of his hand, but inwardly is plagued with a mountain of insecurity and mommy issues.  Jason Segel also does a great job lending his voice to Vector, Gru's new arch-nemesis.  Vector is a reckless brat who seems to be one step ahead of Gru at every turn, and has some sort of weird fish-gun fetish.  While the these two characters spend very little time on screen together, their opposite personalities allow for them to play well off of each other.  Gru is man who never received his mother's love, therefore everything he does is really to justify his existence and awesomeness to her.  Vector is a spoiled rich kid who could care less about his father's love, even when his father is doing everything he can to help him succeed.  It's this dynamic that allows for we (the audience) to identify and root for Gru despite his being a super-villain.

Gru (voiced by Steve Carell)

While attempting to procure a shrink-ray from Vector, Gru notices a trio of little girls selling him cookies.  Having tried everything he can think of to break in on his own, Gru hatches a plan to adopt the little girls so that while Vector is distracted upon their return (to deliver said cookies), he can break into Vector's fortress and steal the shrink-ray.  What follows is the slow introduction of warmth to Gru's once cold heart.  Having the little girls around reminded him of his childhood, and of the love he never received.  Enter: Warm and Fuzzies.

The animation in "Despicable Me" is top notch.  While some of the characters are rather plain looking, the designs used for Gru, his minions, his mother, Mr. Perkins (voiced by Will Arnett) the evil bank manager, and Miss Hattie (voiced by Kristen Wiig) the evil caretaker of the Home for Wayward Girls, are all great and stylized.  It's clear that the makers were clearly going for a cartoon look for this film rather than one of realism, and it works really well given the subject matter.  The action scenes are all very well thought out and executed beautifully.  The jokes are consistently funny, and is an even mix of low (fart gun) and high brow (evil bank pillars slowly crushing a man) humor.  There is definitely something for all ages here, with no sexual innuendo or euphemisms around as far as I can tell…which is nice considering the target market is children.

If you're curious about "Depicable Me," but hesitant because it's not a Pixar movie, don't be.  This would fit right in with Pixar's catalog of hits.  It has a good story with relatable characters, and it connects with its audiences in all of the right ways.

VERDICT:  **** out of 5

Director(s):

Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud

Writer(s):

Cinco Paul (screenplay) & Ken Daurio (screenplay)

Sergio Pablos (story)

Starring:

Steve Carell ... Gru (voice)

Jason Segel ... Vector (voice)

Russell Brand ... Dr. Nefario (voice)

Julie Andrews ... Gru's Mom (voice)

Will Arnett ... Mr. Perkins (voice)

Kristen Wiig ... Miss Hattie (voice)

Miranda Cosgrove ... Margo (voice)

Dana Gaier ... Edith (voice)

Elsie Fisher ... Agnes (voice)

Pierre Coffin ... Tim the Minion / Bob the Minion / Mark the Minion / Phil the Minion / Stuart the Minion (voice)

Chris Renaud ... Dave the Minion (voice)

Jemaine Clement ... Jerry the Minion (voice)

Jack McBrayer ... Carnival Barker / Tourist Dad (voice)

Danny McBride ... Fred McDade (voice)

Domestic Total Gross: 

$251,513,985

Distributor: 

Universal

Release Date: 

July 9, 2010

Genre: 

Animation

Runtime: 

1 hrs. 35 min.

MPAA Rating: 

PG

Production Budget: 

$69 million

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 home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by a small army of minions, we discover Gru, planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon. (Yes, 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, Edith and Agnes. (via IMDb)

OFFICIAL SITE | IMDb

"OH YEAH!  Now just imagine me doing this to your face!" - Not Vector