Despicable Me 3

With one of the biggest marketing machines behind it, Despicable Me has emerged as one of the most beloved franchises among children. After the lukewarm reception of the Minions spin-off, Gru and his family take the lead again with Despicable Me 3.

On an entertainment level, the film offers plenty of flashy action and sight gags. The introduction of 80’s-themed villain, Balthazar Bratt, contributes a lot to the vibrant visuals of the film. The scene-stealing minions are relegated to a supporting role and their humour works much better here in small doses.

The writers crammed many subplots into the 90-minute runtime but they are so disjointed from the main action that they feel like a collection of shorts. While some of the subplots offer opportunities to challenge and dive deeper into the characters, they are simply addressed on the surface level for the sake of more action. Action is entertaining to watch but it’s even better when it has a purpose in the story. It takes more than colourful graphics to keep audience, especially audience above the age of 6, invested.

All in all, Despicable Me 3 is definitely a step-up from Despicable Me 2 but it does not offer anything you haven’t seen before from the franchise.

(Originally posted on 3 July 2017 @projectunwrapped)