Despicable Me 2 (2013)
I love Despicable Me, but there are two reasons why Despicable Me 2 is better. Reason one – it’s richer. The characterization goes deeper for each role in the film, and the storyline is more dramatically satisfying. More time is spent on Gru as a parent to his adopted daughters, and his position within his community. This serves to reinforce the conflict within the lead character when his former villainous ways clash with his newer, more reformed lifestyle. Also, more time is spent on the Minions, the animation is better, with truly innovative shots and angles being used and, even the music is better.
Reason two – and I cannot overstate the importance of this – it is a zombie movie for pre-schoolers. Who knew that there was a part of the zombie-media arena that had hitherto remained untapped? But, here it is – the world’s first zombie movie for kids. In those terms, it is brilliant because it is executed with the perfect balance of menace and comedy. The ‘infected’ Minions are scary, in and of themselves, but the situation brings enough humour to dull those edges to child-friendly levels. Such well-observed story-telling, presented with clear awareness of the target audience, makes Despicable Me 2 a truly superior sequel.
