The follow-up to surprise mega-hit, Despicable Me, the sequel follows ex-villain Gru (Carell) as he joins the Anti-Villain League to help foil a mysterious new super criminal. Paired with quirky secret agent Lucy Wilde (Wiig), the duo strike up an instant connection, but when Lucy’s life is put at risk, it’s down to Gru, his girls and the minions to save the day.
Despicable Me 2 is a lot of fun but it doesn’t have the emotional pull of the first film, despite an endearing romantic twist. Wiig’s character is a hoot and by now audiences have fallen in love with Gru’s grumpiness too, it just feels like it’s missing something. The minion skits along the way are funny but they don’t really add up to much, and up against the exceptional Monsters University this summer, it feels like a very hollow experience.