[8.25/10] Despicable Me (2010)

Despicable Me (2010)

In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by a small army of minions, we discover Gru, planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon. Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays, and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad. The world’s greatest villain has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo, Edith and Agnes. With Dreamworks' "How to Train Your Dragon", Pixar's "Toy Story 3" and Disney's "Tangled", 2010 has proven itself an exceptionally strong year for animation, and "Despicable Me" is no exception. Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud's first full-length animated feature is yet another jewel in the crown of animated filmmaking. "Despicable Me" is an adorable, hilarious, truly imaginative and beautifully-animated feature, that never fails to entertain the audience with its gripping story and witty homorous script, and to blow their minds with its dazzling CGI visuals. In terms of storytelling, this flick doesn't break any new grounds, but it's hugely entertaining nontheless, as it's filled with hilarious situations, amusing characters and plenty of action and clever jokes that work very well. "Despicable Me" is never boring or inert, as it moves briskly from one great scene to another at a very dynamic pace. The characters are "Despicable Me"'s main strength. Steve Carell's Gru is a terrific a villain - he seems tough and vicious on the outside, but he's soft as a cotton on the inside and quite emotional, without being too sappy. The three little girls - Margo, Edith, Agnes are smart, sweet and delightfully engaging, with Agnes in particular being my absolute favorite. Vector is wicked, yet somewhat sympathetic and geniously clever. Miss Hattie's not a very likable character, but she's hilarious to watch nonetheless. Animation-wise, "Despicable Me" is a true visual treat. The animation is richly textured, very detailed, and wonderfully-inventive. The CGI backgrounds are beautifully-crafted, and the graphics are vivid, colorful and eye catching. All the character are also very well-drawn, especially the endlessly adorable yellow minions, who are so sweet and likable, they bring an absolute joy everytime they appear on screen. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to see it in 3D, but the film looks stunning enough in 2D as well. The voice acting from everyone involved is just excellent. Russell Brand in particular does an incredible job in breathing life into his character, Dr. Nefario. Steve Carell and Elsie Fisher also shine as Gru and Agnes. Although it doesn't shine with an enormous originality, with its consistently funny and gripping story, quirky yet multi-layered characters, and breathtakingly colorful animation, "Despicable Me" is an absolute winner!