Despicable Me 3 review

When you are making a sequel to a movie franchise, you should adhere to story concepts. I'm not talking about repeating tropes like the way Michael Bay throws constant explosions at the audience. No I'm talking about keeping characters together for the movie like Han Solo and Chewbacca. They were always doing things together. That's the big problem with Despicable Me 3.

The movie picks up from the last one, where Gru (Steve Carell) and Lucy (Kristen Wiig) are members of the Anti-Villain League aka AVL. They're sent on a mission to stop Balthazar Bratt voiced by an underused Trey Parker from stealing a diamond. They stop him but Bratt escapes. This causes the couple to be fired from the AVL. While unemployed the majority of the Minions protest Gru's domesticated life and yearn for his old villainous ways. They leave.

Later Gru finds out he has a twin brother named Dru (also voiced by Carell) who lives on the island of Freedonia. The couple with the three girls goes to visit Dru. Gru finds out that Dru is living in a mansion with a herd of pigs. Dru slaughters all the pigs in front of the girls for ham which grosses them out and they turn into vegetarians. Okay, that thing about turning pigs into ham didn't happen. But kids, where do you think ham comes from? Anyway, Dru has a secret. Their father was a supevillain and left them some neat gadgets. They decide to bond and go on a mission to steal a diamond form Bratt.

Like the first two Despicable Me(s) , the art is extremely exaggerated. The faces and bodies will make you smile rather than laugh. Unlike the first two, where those two were mischievous to the point of being subversive this movie is more kiddie friendly. That leaves for the adults some very funny slapstick.

The problem with this film is what I said at the beginning of the review. It takes the risk of not staying true to a concept in the franchise. And that is for the Minions and Gru to be and work together. The comic havoc that Minions could unleash are kept to themselves. That's comedy without a good setup. Then there are the other plot threads. These distract from the movie. Daughter Agnes (Nev Scharrel) goes off to find a unicorn. The annoying citizens of Freedonia. The Minions adventure. Unfortunately, the movie hints at a sequel that will keep characters apart.

When Gru and Dru are on their mission against Bratt, the movie works. It's enjoyable. It just needed to stay focused. The grade is B Minus.