DESPICABLE ME

2010-07-08
By Sergio Mims

Voices: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Miranda Cosgrove, Julie Andrews
WRITTEN BY: Ken Saurio & Sergio Pablos
DIRECTED BY: Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud
*** THREE STARS

The dastardly Gru, as voiced by Steve Carell in the new 3D animated film Despicable Me, is perhaps the best thing about the film, but also something of its main fault as well. Not that the character is in any way fatal or permanently damaging to the film. To the contrary, the despicable villain, whose goal it is to become the greatest villain in history with an insane plan to miniaturize and steal the moon is very funny, quite original and actually quite charming, once you warm to him.

The film is truly a perfect example of globalization in action. 

Based on a Spanish animator’s original story rewritten by Hollywood screenwriter, it was financed by a Hollywood studio, but made by a French animation company. And it has a very clever premise, that consistently takes unexpected left turns in the storyline, in which Gru aided by his test tube created, yellow, pill shaped army of minions, reluctantly adopts three adorable
orphans who he plans to use in his scheme to steal a miniaturization ray gun.  It’s a cartoon, after all, you were expecting a plot that makes sense?

With his hulking frame, bald head, curved dagger-like pointy nose and his comic Eastern European accent, intentionally recalling the memorable villain Boris Badenov from the classic Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons, Carell creates a truly funny and charismatic character. Though he’s a totally incompetent villain and more of a legend in his own mind, he’s a lovable fool.

However the film clearly follows Pixar’s animation story template with a central character with strong psychological issues of abandonment that define and dictate his actions. In the case of Gru, it’s his cold, distant mother (Andrews) who never appreciated any of his childhood enthusiasms or efforts.

The film also further uses the Pixar formula when exploring the eventual softening and gradual development of the nurturing side of Gru, which comes about as the orphans slowly but surely worm their way into his cold heart, bringing up to the surface all his dormant paternal instincts.

Yet despite his lovable qualities, Gru’s bungling but evil persona creates something of a distance between us and the character, resulting in somewhat a lack of real empathy for him. While the film is genuinely amusing with some real belly laughs and relentlessly entertaining, from beginning to the extended jokey end credits, we never truly warm up to Gru for most of the film, or at least not until the final 20 minutes.

Fortunately the film employs some of the best uses of 3D animation in some time, even better than more recently acclaimed films such as How to Train Your Dragon and Toy Story 3.

Despicable Me follows the old premise from those 1950’s 3D movies that instead of going for the current “immersion” approach concentrating more on ambience and atmosphere.  Let’s be clear, 3D was designed to shove things in people’s faces. As a result, viewers are constantly bombarded with all sort of objects (dangerous or not) such as missiles, the tip of a spaceship, ladders, sharks or even just a hand stretched out into your face pleading for someone to grab on to.  In my book, 3D is supposed to be fun like that.

Though it may lack somewhat of the genuine human emotional content and sensitivity of some of the better Pixar films it so badly wants to imitate, that doesn’t stop Despicable Me from being a wonderfully charming and satisfying animated film that’s perfect for a summer matinee.