Pretty Weak

Rating: 5/10 (18 July 2010)

The problem with animated family fare is the bar is set very high by cable TV. There is a ton of great humorous animated shows out there--Penguins of Madagascar, Phineas and Ferb, Fairly Odd Parents, Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls, SpongeBob...just to name a few. Additionally, Pixar can do no wrong. So when Hollywood invites America's families to drop $40 at the multiplex to watch a cartoon, they'd better bring it strong, and in my opinion, Despicable Me didn't deliver. Yes, it was mildly entertaining and the audience seemed to enjoy it, but overall it just kind of bored me. Like so many movies nowadays, it seems like we've already seen every funny bit in the previews. What bothered me the most however is absolutely EVERYTHING in this movie seems to be derived from something else or is a cheap imitation. Dr Gru talks like the kid from Dexters Lab and looks like Monty Burns. His nemesis looks like Dexter's nemesis Mandark. The minions all sound like Wall-E. So bottom line, you and your family won't storm out of the theater and demand your money back, but you would probably find more innovative animated humor at home on your TV.