Moi, moche et méchant 2

Much funnier than the first one, Despicable Me 2 actually has me liking the second installation in a series much better than the original. A lot of sequels add in new characters. Some serve a purpose. Others not so much. This movie adds in new characters that are important. With funnier lines, funnier actions, and tons of minion madness, the movie has us focusing less on Gru's villainy, and more on the love life he never had.

It's not often that a hit animated film's sequel surpasses the original film. Despicable Me 2 is one of those rare cases. From the moment it appears on the screen to the end of the film, Despicable Me 2 is a fast paced, fun film that never ceases to be entertaining.

This film has you laughing quite often, contains humour that both kids and adults can appreciate, and had at least one moment that was worthy of clapping out loud to.

The character development is to be praised, as is the warmth and soul that Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud put into this film.

This film leaves you feeling joyful and satisfied and happy for the characters and the new direction their lives are taking.

This film is not to be missed and I can't recommend it enough.

The first Despicable Me was a wonderful film, so while there is the worry of whether a sequel would work you can't help wanting to see it anyway. Despicable Me 2 was just as good as the first one, maybe not as fresh in terms of plot but what worked so well in the first works equally well here. The animation, also having the advantage of staying true to the style and look that the first had, is bursting with vibrancy and colour without looking too over-saturated as well as having a lot of detail to it. The retro-futuristic designs and gadgets are inventive and very striking to look at, while the music has rousing energy and is also memorable. Despicable Me 2 in the writing and gags is peppered with humour, and this is of the laugh-out-loud hilarious kind, though because there's a lot and that you may be laughing so hard you may be at a risk of missing something. To counter-balance the hilarity, the film also incorporates a message, it is a heartfelt one and doesn't feel cloying and out-of-place. For what the story may lack slightly in freshness in correlation with the first, it more than makes up for it in wit, heart, excitement and how briskly it moves without feeling rushed. Having more of the minions- one of the best assets of the first film- was a masterstroke also, and their subplot also gave the story an increasing sense of jeopardy and threat(though theirs is a little more interesting than that of world domination). Gru is a lovable character, whether a villain like in the first or not, and adds a lot of charisma and energy to the film. The top-notch vocal talents of Steve Carrell, Steve Coogan, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt and even Russell Brand are a further advantage. All in all, like the first Despicable Me this sequel is fantastic family fun and equal to it. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Despicable Me 2 is a brilliant film with a great storyline and an impressive voice cast.I definitely wouldn't say it was better than the first Despicable Me,the first one was a lot more heartwarming,but it still is a very good sequel and has everything you want in a family film,humor for both young and older audiences.However,the story of the movie feels very scattered and throughout I felt like they were trying to fit too much in one hour and a half.Like the first Despicable Me,the Minions are the best part,and they get even more screen time in this one that they did previously,it's almost impossible not to laugh at these goofy and lovable characters.It's not as good as the first Despicable Me,but this sequel is very funny and an enjoyable movie for the whole family and I look forward to seeing what Illumination Entertainment does with these characters in the future.

Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) joins the Anti-Villain League in order to find an anonymous villain working on an experiment to turn the world evil.

Even more Despicable! Actually this is a sweet turn for the lovable anti-villain villain, Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), who is comfortably back as a bona fide family man, to the three adorable orphans who melted audiences hearts alike in the first film. Gru would seem like a fun father, but he takes his responsibilities overbearingly over the girls as he has trouble accepting them growing up. Not only that, but he struggles to find contentment with no longer being a villain, with his laboratory now transformed into a jam-making factory. Through expected plot development, advocated from a sequel, it is not until a love interest comes along, Lucy Wilde (voiced by Kristen Wiig), that Gru loosen his shell and the plot moves into action. She takes him to the aptly titled 'anti-villain league' who recruit Gru, with Lucy as his partner in anti-crime, to take down a new villain who has taken disguise at a local shopping mall. What better way to take down a villain than with a post-villain. However Gru is not as proficient as he used to be, he is divided and distracted between his responsibilities to his girls, his love for villainous antics and his mixed emotions to his new partner.

The plot moves efficiently and effectively, moving briskly but taking special care with the characters whom audience enjoyed the first time around, while injecting a few new ones. Of course this means the minions are back, if ads didn't make it obvious. The uniformly dressed but motley shaped crew seem to have grown exponentially in number, as they are ever present in the film. Even their antics in the background over petty things, prove hilarious, but the pint size helpers also take a pivotal role in the plot. This strikes an interesting point in the films advertising. Hardly any plot was divulged, beyond set-up, meaning that there are plenty of surprises to be had in the film. In fact the minions took the foreground of marketing, being funny without substantiating into crass or being overtly annoying. Not only are they ingenious supporting characters but also act as an ingenious means of marketing the film, without spoiling much of the fun of the film, similarly like Scrat in the Ice Age films. If you only liked them in the first film, you'll love them now.

The bottom line (hahaha 'bottom'- you read it in a minion voice didn't you :) is that this is a very comfortable flick. It lives up to the adage, if you liked the first you'll like this one. Colorful and cheerful animation, that is quite impressive, with more minion madness, as expected, punctuated by heart warming sentiment, in good measure.