Despicable Me 3 Review: Seeing Double – More Minions, More Gru, More Action

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. “Despicable Me 3” delivers twice of everything you’ve come to expect from the first two movies. More Minions, more Gru, more fast-paced action – the strategy of the producers seems to be more, more, more. Not going to lie: it works for them. While the formula they’ve been using has gotten a little tired for the third time around, it’s not yet stale and co-directors Pierre Coffin and Kyla Balda pull it off yet again.

Photo via Universal Pictures/Illumination Entertainment

Despicable Me 3: Double the Trouble, Double the Fun

Apart from the co-directors, Steve Carell also deserves some props. He definitely had his work cut out for him this time around. “Despicable Me 3” introduces a dizzying array of new characters, including Gru’s long-lost twin brother Dru. Showing his range and mastery, Carell voiced both brothers and gave them their own accents, quirks, and personalities. He managed to portray two very different, very distinct characters and make them shine in a movie saturated with an attention-grabbing cast. Some of these attention-grabbers include new villain Balthazar Bratt (voiced by Trey Parker) and new boss Valerie Da Vinci (voiced by Jenny Slate). “Despicable Me 3” definitely mined the full hilarious talents of these two comedy powerhouses.

Photo via Universal Pictures/Illumination Entertainment

“Despicable Me 3” definitely has a lot going on, and not just with the host of new characters. The film employs several splintered storylines, following along with different characters. In one contrived plot, Bratt tries to steal the world’s largest diamond while Gru and Lucy (voiced by Kristen Wiig) try to stop him. In another, Gru and Dru bond over their family’s criminal past. Meanwhile, Lucy and the girls search for a unicorn. And finally, while all this is going on, the Minions also search for a new villain to work for. “Despicable Me 3” crams so many plotlines in just two hours. But somehow it works. They end up more a strength than a hindrance to the film. “Despicable Me 3” gives audiences a lot to laugh about.

Balthazar Bratt: out-of-touch, ridiculous, hopelessly corny

Take all the 80’s popular culture references you know, blend them together, and you’ve got the latest villain of the franchise. Introducing the main bad guy – or “bad boy” as he calls himself – of Despicable Me 3: Balthazar Bratt. A child star from the 80’s, Bratt frontlined a show called, fittingly, “Evil Bratt.” But when his show was cut, Bratt just couldn’t let it go. He donned shoulder pads and pump sneakers, got himself a mullet, learned how to breakdance, and became the villain you see on the big screen.

Photo via Universal Pictures/Illumination Entertainment

While Bratt can be considered many things – out-of-touch with reality, unwittingly ridiculous, hopelessly corny – he falls short of being truly supervillain dangerous. The movie plays him more for comedic relief rather than giving him a tragic backstory or a terrifying persona. And, in this case at least, it proved to be a good choice. “Despicable Me 3” continues the fast-paced, hilarious tone of the previous movies with a crowd pleaser for a villain. Bratt busts out the laughs best when he’s given the chance to be corny, when he doesn’t realize that he’s the punchline.

A family movie so fluffy you could die

“Despicable Me 3,” among other things, remains a family movie. And not just a movie perfect for families to watch, but one that explores all kinds of familial relationships. Take Gru and Dru, reunited after decades of separation. Their revisiting of their family’s criminal past sibling bonding session makes for a hilarious and heartfelt brotherly bonding session. But like all sibling relationships, theirs also has ups and downs. Forget the fact that the Gru twins just reunited, no familial bond is complete without some form of conflict. And that’s exactly what happens to Gru and Dru. Their criminally fun (had to sneak a pun in there) bonding session comes to an end when some of their family history resurfaces. History that throws a curveball in the montage of brotherly love.

Photo via Universal Pictures/Illumination Entertainment

On a different area of the familial spectrum, we also get to witness Lucy attempts to bond with Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Nev Scharrel). While sweet, her attempts seem to fall short… and then an opportunity comes knocking when a shopkeeper says the magic word: “unicorn.” That’s right. Somehow (blame Agnes) the mother-daughter bonding escalates into their own full-on adventure as Lucy and the girls search for an elusive unicorn. And if you thought it couldn’t get any fluffier than that, think again. Their little side-quest culminates in one of the sweetest, most heartfelt moments of the film. Agnes turns to Lucy and tells her, “I love you, Mom.” Cue hearts melting everywhere.

Photo via Universal Pictures/Illumination Entertainment

“Despicable Me 3” delivers double of everything we’ve seen before, but it still manages to shine on its own: always hilarious, always heartwarming, and a definite must-see.