In spite of not being at the centre of a movie, it’s not unusual for secondary characters to steal the show. They exhibit something that appeals to audiences, whether it’s personality, cuteness or some other attribute that draws in people. Once this attraction is recognized by studios, they generally attempt to capitalize on it in some way, such as merchandise, sequels or spin-offs. This was most notably the case with the Minions (followed closely by Agnes and her fluffy unicorn), which were instant hits and immediately available everywhere. Their latest appearance is in Despicable Me 3.
Gru (Steve Carell) and Lucy (Kristen Wiig) are on a losing streak with the Anti-Villain League, which is emphasized when they fail to capture Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) — former child star turned super villain. But when one door closes, another opens. Just as Gru is feeling his lowest, he discovers he has an estranged twin brother named Dru (also Carell) who is heir to a successful pig farm… and looking for advice on how to be a better villain. With all his brother’s fun toys, Gru can’t resist being a little naughty even if Dru’s clumsiness is a bit of a liability. In the meantime, all the Minions but Dave and Jerry have absconded in protest of their non-evil occupations.
Most of the key storylines and characters are presented in the trailer. Gru and Balthazar face-off over the world’s largest diamond as the ‘80s washout uses modified fads of the decade to battle his opponents, including the Rubik’s cube and keyboard guitar. Dru, who still has a head of luscious blonde locks, is like his brother in many other ways, which makes their reunion a relatively easy one; though Gru isn’t immediately willing to just hop on the villain bandwagon again. The Minions go on a long trek that eventually lands them in jail for one of the movie’s best sequences of badassery and cuteness. The only story not previously revealed is Agnes’ adorable quest to find a real unicorn, which is the most heartwarming part of the otherwise expectedly light-hearted movie.
With your help, we can #FreeTheMinions. Visit #DespicableMe3 pic.twitter.com/XEedoWLSUW
— Despicable Me (@DespicableMe) June 27, 2017
Due to the Minions’ dissent, they’re not in the film nearly enough; but they’re still awesome and hilarious when they do appear. The brotherly reconnection is also amusing, since they’re so different yet so much alike. And Dru’s ineptitude is like pairing Gru with the annoying little brother he never had. While Balthazar’s weapons are comical, he’s not the impressively formidable villain one had hoped for after the also somewhat disappointing Scarlet Overkill from the Minions movie. But even though they’re still unable to match the wonderful experience of watching the first film, this one still has its moments and is entertaining in its own right. Most upsetting is probably the lack of an end credit sequence featuring our yellow buddies.
Directors: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin and Eric Guillon
Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig and Trey Parker
