En Route to Servitude

Rating: 7/10 (8 July 2015)

Before I proceed please note that I have not seen the Despicable Me movies. I merely took a chance with this one. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised to find it decently entertaining, despite its intended target audience and the fact that I've been around for at least 38 years.
IMDb reviewer elliemcnair and Co. have beautifully summarized the plot so I'll go straight to my 2 cents': the movie is entertaining in the sense that it has something for the young and the young at heart to enjoy, while having other things that more mature audiences can also appreciate. It was a treat to see references to British culture and pop culture such as James Bond, the Beatles, rock and roll, etc..
The people who will best appreciate this movie, however, are the fans of the Despicable Me movies or folks who love the minions' silly antics. The latter idea was what caused the move to feel like hit-and-miss for me depending on the scene. Certain jokes and scenes were humorous to me while others felt a bit flat, as if the writers were trying a bit too hard to provide something funny just for the sake of having a joke.
Overall, however, it was easy for me to to empathize and identify with the title characters' search for a master to serve. Ultimately, that is what appeals to adults: the identification with a desire to find--even create--meaning and purpose in one's life. Yes, the movie is a comedy yet it is also a metaphor for life. It is nice to know that underneath the seemingly mindless slapstick humor is a deeper meaning that all of us can resonate with, regardless of age or station.