DVD Review - Despicable Me 2 (Oscar Review)

The 86th Academy Award nominations were announced on January 16, 2014. I'm now doing my best to see all the recognized films before the air date of the actual Oscars ceremony on March 2nd. Most of which I have seen, but for one reason or another there are a few I missed. This one is one such. Despicable Me 2 was nominated for two Oscars, Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

The nomination for Best Original Song is well deserved. The song is "Happy" by Pharrell Williams, and it plays about 56 minutes into the movie. It's uptempo and fun. It makes you want to get up and dance. It's so energetic and such an injection of adrenaline that this boring film needed. That alone should give it the win because the song is truly the only bright spot.

This movie is so predictable. It's a film designed and aimed at children, so I perhaps shouldn't be so critical, but this is so dumb down that it's almost offensive. Steve Carell returns as the voice of Gru who is recruited by the Anti-Villain League or AVL to help take down another bad guy trying to take over the world or something.

Kristen Wiig voices Lucy, a member of the AVL who is partnered with Gru. Perhaps, it's because I saw Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues before seeing this, but it was obvious that Gru and Lucy were going to be a love match. Therefore, when the movie started hitting the typical beats in an action-comedy when you have a love match, I rolled my eyes and started to drift.

The reveal of the villain was predictable and intentionally so, but I wish it were more of a surprise. The predictability makes it boring. The final action sequence, as a result, was so lame and a chore to get past. The whole thing felt like a chore. The only funny thing was the minions doing French covers of "I Swear" and "Y.M.C.A."

Two Stars out of Five.
Rated PG for rude humor and mild action.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 37 mins.