written by David Steffen
Despicable Me 3 is the 3rd in a series of comedy/action computer animated films feature ex-supervillain Gru and his family: three adopted daughters, and his partner also-ex-supervillain Lucy. Gru (Steve Carell) and Lucy (Kristin Wiig) work together at the Anti-Villain League to take down villains like they themselves used to be. Together they track down the 80’s child star turned villain Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker), but fail to capture him. This combined with an AVL change in management, and both Gru and Lucy are fired from the AVL. Lucy is struggling with her newfound status as parent, and now Gru is struggling to deal with being unemployed–should he take up his first occupational love–supervillainy? Pulling him out of his doldrums, Gru is contacted out of the blue by a brother he never knew he had named Dru (also Steve Carell).
The movie has much of the irreverent silly feel poking fun at spy movies like James Bond, and gets much of its humor from the continued antics of Gru’s minions, his tiny yellow high-spirited lackeys who are always up to mischief. Balthazar Bratt’s villainy is a great source of silliness as well, with lots of 1980s in-jokes for the parents–from his personal fashion sense to the style of his gadgetry. If you’re looking for light silliness with action, this isn’t a bad choice.
But I personally found the Gru/Dru plotline boring and annoying. I thought the idea of a long lost brother Gru never heard about was a fun idea, but I feel like they should’ve hired new voice talent instead of just having Steve Carell who has played the lead for three movies play a second lead role. I mean, I like Steve Carell, but I don’t think re-casting the same actor multiple times is ever likely to improve a movie. So, largely because of this, I preferred the first movie (and what I’ve seen of the second on cable).