Despicable Me

The esteemed Dr. Gru is the worlds foremost super villain, that is until Vector supplants him at the #1 spot. To regain the top spot, Gru hatches a plan that will require every weapon in his arsenal and a scheme involving three little orphan girls. Will they help him reach his master plan or will they bring him nothing but ruin?

What I Liked:
You may be surprised to learn that this is Illuminations very first feature film and they nailed it right off the bat. Despicable Me is a film that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the Shreks and Toy Stories of the film industry and hold it's own. It features a charming and funny story about the worlds #1 Villain, who is a bit past his prime and trying to defend his title against a crop of new and ambitious younger villains. You wouldn't think that this would be great fodder for strong character development but Gru is likable and he really grows on you throughout the film, meanwhile his Minions and the three orphan girls are instantly likable and add a wonderful splash of color to Gru's overly drab and dark demeanor. The whole setting is wonderfully cartoony with a nice, Loony Toons kind of art style that fits the overall tone of the film as well as a suitably bright and colorful color palate that is easy on the eyes. Overall I really enjoyed the story of Gru and his journey to reclaim his title and reach his childhood goals. The addition of the three girls adds a wonderful layer of cute to the whole tale and the back and forth dichotomy between themselves and Gru is fun and heart warming. In a way the story resembles that of the old Spy vs. Spy comics (except greatly expanded upon) and it's humor is similar, strongly grounded in physical gags but they work and the film remains funny throughout its entire duration. Steve Carell did an excellent job voicing Gru and his personality really shines through further bringing the character a life of his own. The entire voice cast is perfect and their characters carry the film. What most people will remember from this film though are the adorable and hilarious Minions, Gru's endless supply of small, yellow, dutiful servants. While they may not have any lines they are unique and very fun to watch and fit in with the rest of the cast.

What I Didn't Like:
The film itself is pretty much a whole lot of great. The few quibbles I have is that the whole things gets off to a rather slow start. It is a good start, setting a solid foundation for the characters but compared to later parts of the film it is not as fun or funny for that matter. Also at times one can see a stiff animation or two, these moments are rare and hardly noticeable but it is there for those who notice it.

In Conclusion:
This is a fantastic start to what is hopefully a long and fruitful studio, Illumination Entertainment certainly set the bar high for the rest of their films with Despicable Me. It is a heart warming and thoroughly enjoyable film that should be fun for all ages to see. The biggest knock against it is that it is perfectly safe, it's not as intense as Toy Story 3 and it retains a warm gooey center even at its darkest moments, which fits the tone of the film just fine. It is a story that is well told and its characters are deep enough to allow some development, over all it is a fantastic effort one that should not be missed by children (and adults) of all ages.