So many fairytales are tales of transformation, “Beauty And The Beast”, “The Ugly Duckling”, the first “Shrek” yes and 2009’s “Despicable Me” -the animated movie from 2009 in which Gru grows from supervillain to daddy of the year thru the love of three orphan girls. But remember what happened to Shrek, right? Once he was transformed they had nothing much to do with him and Steve Carrell’s Gru in “Despicable Me 2” doesn’t have much to be done with him, either.
Gru, now a father to the orphans and retired from the supervillain biz has had his life transformed and scenes like Gru’s mother sharing pictures of baby Gru have been outgrown. Instead, Gru is a sweetie pie who is brought out of retirement by a secret agency trying to get their hands on a supervillain who is building an army of transformed Minions (you know, those annoying yellow thingies) to conquer the world.
Gru is teamed with Special Agent Kristin Wiig and joined by the three children as they save the world from the forces of evil. This all goes down very easy; it is sweet and sappy and fun , the movie takeoffs, the rapid fire dialogue, the 3D -it is all pleasant enough and Carrell and Wiig have plenty of chemistry. But it isn’t fresh any more and it is all a litle B movieish. The 3D adds absolutely nothing.
Pharrel Williams, who is having a summer to remember, is the brains behind the soundtrack, and from a closing YMCA by the ambisexual Minions, to a Cinco de Mayo party with David Guetta’s”Where Them Girl’s At” and even Pharrel’s own “Happy” for when Gru falls in lo… well, I won’t ruin it., he makes wonderful choices.
Fun Fun Fun – Pharrell Williams
Chiquita Banana (Theme Song) – Pierre Coffin
Another Irish Drinking Song – Pierre Coffin
Love’s Theme – Love Unlimited Orchestra
Wiegenlied: Guten Abend, Gute Nacht Op. 49, No. 4 – Chris Renaud
Super Girl – Samantha Marq
Just A Cloud Away – Pharrell Williams
Cielito Lindo – Ali Dee
Cielito Lindo – Tito Puente And Eddie Palmieri
In The Summertime – Mungo Jerry
Funiculiĺ Funiculà – Andrew Driscoll
Italian Tarantella (Traditional) – Andrew Driscoll
Happy – Pharrell Williams
Jamming – Ali Dee
Don’t Stop The Party – Pitbull (Feat. Tjr)
Where Them Girls At – David Guetta Feat. Nicki Minaj And Flo Rida
Echa Pa’lla (Manos Pa’rriba) – Pitbull (Feat. Papayo)
El Bon Bon De Elena – Los Lobos
Flor De Huevo (Son Locos) – Los Lobos
I Swear – Pierre Coffin
Y.m.c.a. – Village People (Vocals Performed By Pierre Coffin)
Scream – Ceelo Green
Movie: B
Music: A-