A laugh fest with a lovable villain

Rating: 9/10 (24 August 2015)

Animated family comedy movies usually follow a clichéd plot involving a happy-go-lucky hero who has an adventure which involves defeating an evil villain, and living happily ever after. Despite being shamelessly predictable and ridiculously simple, they are fun to watch and are favorites of many people. But what if we change the plot drastically, what if we destroyed the fun and jolly atmosphere of the movie, what if the hero is a character so grim and evil, despicable becomes an understatement? Would we enjoy the movie to the same extent, would we be able to accept the protagonist as the main character, and the most important question: will it still be fun to watch? If you want a movie which satisfies all the above constraints and is still an entertainer, Despicable Me is the movie you're looking for.
Despicable Me inherits the cheerful and simple plot usually associated with animated movies. Seems like a normal comedy movie, right? The catch lies in the movie's protagonist, he's an evil genius aiming to become the world's most infamous criminal, named Gru. Leading an army of hundreds of artificially created uncontrollable and ever hungry minions, ready to devour any thing in their way, Gru's journey to the top seems simple enough, but is it? Does it still seem like a cheerful animated movie? I would advise getting a check-up if it still does. Contrary to the description, the movie is simply hilarious, it'll amuse you till no end. Even though it has an evil villain as the main character, the atmosphere remains cheerful and light with the movie continuously entertaining with it's share of weirdness, for example, 1. Stuff happens and Gru eventually captures the moon. 2. Remember the army of minions? I apologize for the misleading description, but the minions are the cutest and most adorable things you would find in the movie, aptly put: they are angels of stupidity. Some people watch the movie only to witness their magnificence. One does not simply get enough of minions. 3. The rest of the movie...
The characters are quite unique, it's difficult to find resemblance with characters from other movies (with the exception of the little girls and some background characters) which makes the film all the more interesting. Our protagonist Gru, is shown as a grumpy, tall, bald man with blue eyes, long nose and broad, powerful physique. If his looks aren't enough to make you laugh, his accent promises to deliver the final blow. Other major characters include three girls who are subsequently adopted by Gru in order to aid in his super evil plan. They are kind, clever and also add another pinch of cuteness to the movie. They're involved in the emotional parts of the movie which make it more appealing. Even though, Gru and the girls are great, but the spotlight is stolen by the ever-so-lovely minions. These yellow creatures are incredibly funny to watch, almost all of the funny parts in the movie involve them in someway or the other. The way Gru treats the minions and the girls add another aspect to his character and proves that he isn't rotten to the core.
The movie has enough elements to remain interesting throughout. As mentioned earlier, it's filled with humor; even in parts which are supposed to be serious. There are a few emotional scenes related to the three girls, highlighting Gru's inner conflict between good and evil. All the elements fit well to give us a pack good enough to spend a couple of hours on.
In terms of technical details, the movie has great animation. The attention to details shows the hard work done by the creators to make it as enjoyable as possible. The clarity and sound effects are top- notch, as expected by Universal Studios.
Despicable Me promises to be an enjoyable package which is fun to watch with family and friends. It shows the gradual transformation of a villain into a loving father, even though the plot is simple, it is worth watching due to the wonderful characters, awesome graphics and of course, the Minions!