Despicable Me 3

Despicable Me 3 Story: The third chapter in the life of Gru (Steve Carell), his adorable wide-eyed little girls and the minions, sees them embarking on a new adventure that involves a dancing villain Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker), Gru’s blonde twin brother Dru (Carell) and a unicorn. Also, having given up his ‘villainy’, will Gru partake in a heist to keep his family tradition alive?

Despicable Me 3 Review: The latest instalment of Illumination’s hit franchise is the ‘Knight and Day’ and ‘Mission: Impossible’ of animation films. It has truckloads of action to keep you entertained and a bit of drama to evoke emotions. Fast-paced and loaded with adventure, this one rarely has a dull moment. On the flip side, you miss the heart-to-heart conversation between Gru and the girls that caught your fancy in the first film.

To sum it up, this one's an outlandish and overstuffed sequel that has too many things going on all at once. It comprises a heist, Gru's discovery of his long lost twin brother Dru, bubble gum firing bad guy, minions displaying their singing skills etc. What it lacks emotionally, it tries to make up in the form of constant action sequences. While it’s not easy to make an exciting instalment with the same template, Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin manage it to a certain extent, thanks to Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig’s fantastic and consistent voice contribution.

Though not as endearing as the first film or funny as the second, Despicable 3 achieves what it sets out to - entertain the kids. Unlike the previous films, this predominantly caters to the younger crowd. It lacks the warmth of the original but if you don’t mind too many Grus, guns, bubblegums and robots, this colourful, cutesy film can be a fun one time watch.

TIP: This film doesn’t necessarily require a 3D viewing. 2D is just fine.