Less focused then the original, but still a good time

Rating: 7/10 (5 July 2013)

The first Despicable Me, though not up to Pixar in the CGI world, was above all Dreamworks films bar Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon, way above anything from Blu Sky or Sony, and better then most of Disney's CGI features. Illumination Entertainment seemed to be one to watch. Their next film, Hop, was a disaster, but it was a live-action one they merely contributed animation to, so it was easy to ignore. Then, The Lorax was typical market-tested, drawn-out stuff, leaving the company with a one-in-three ratio of success thus far.
Now, with Despicable Me 2, they have partially restored my faith. Therein lies the movie's problem. It is PARTIALLY better then the original, both in terms of a few element,s and snippets and scenes here and there. But when looking at both as a whole, the first is obviously better. Why? The element or surprise, probably, and Despicable Me 2 is otherwise the best animated film so far this year (in the UK, comparing it to Croods and Epic; Monsters University has not been released here yet).
The plot is attracting stuff. Gru, having had his villain heart softened by the trio of adopted girls, now lives a much more peaceful life. Right around the time that his colleague Dr. Nefario leaves to work for another villain, making Gru question his currently tepid life, he is hauled - literally - away to the Anti-Villain League, where he is recruited to "go undercover and save the world," as he puts it.
Viewed with my critical glasses on, the film is riddled with problems, and I'm not even leaving the viewpoint of a average moviegoer. It is never quite as epic an adventure movie as one would want it to be (though this is not nearly as notable as it was with Monsters Vs Aliens). The characters are also just not as interesting as before. Don't get me wrong - Gru is as amusing and mean-when-required as ever, and Carell remains top-notch, but his one attractive hook - he's a villain - is missing (suffice to say, the biggest laughs with him are when flashes of it shine through). And the third act is rushed up too fast, as though the production schedule din't allow for a proper showdown.
There is one shining factor that is undoubtedly improved - the humor. Even when there is little going on plot-wise to interest, there is always a plentiful supply of gags, and for both groups - for every minion snippet, there is a Indiana Jones spoof. One thing I am certain of is that this one will not hold up to repeat viewings nearly as well as the first, due to the fact that the jokes are the highlights.
As a result, I'm torn between 6/10 and 7/10. The one finds Gru less interesting because of what made the first film's ending so sweet, while the other had a good time, and came out smiling. And the ratio of missed gags to hit gags is a safer one then the first (where we had to deal with the annoying Vector and more bit-part celebrity voices then this one). And the minions themselves are pivotal this time around, for a plot point I won't spoil, in a ticket-worthy nod to Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (they have a safe mix of adult gags, kid gags, and everyone gags).
With all that, I'm going to give Despicable Me a 7/10. Still of of the better films so far this year.