It is fair to say that Illumination Entertainment could in no way predicted that Despicable Me (2010) would take off the way that it did. While we kind of take The Minions for granted these days. The first Despicable Me movie which was released the better part of a decade ago as I write this was where it all started.
How to Stream or Download Despicable Me
You can get Despicable Me from iTunes. Other movies available for stream or for download that you should consider are of course the sequels: Despicable Me 2 (2013), Minions (2015), and Despicable Me 3 (2017).
The Movie Review
Before we get to the movie, we have to talk about the Steller cast that they got. Steve Carrell, Jason Segal, Russel Brand, Will Arnett, Miranda Cosgrove, Kristen Wiig and Julie Andrews all lend their voices to this movie. This was the first movie from Illumination so it is pretty amazing they were able to get such a talented and well-known cast.
I have to be honest and say that now I would probably put the first Despicable Me at the bottom of this franchise. That is not to say it is bad, far from it. It is just Illumination topped it with each sequel they released. At the time though. I feel the movie being focused on a villain going good was pretty cool, even if Megamind would have a similar premise a few months later.
The movie is about super-villain Gru (Steve Carrell) who feels a little inadequate when is arch-rival, Vector (Jason Segal) manages to steal The Great Pyramid of Giza. Not wanting to be outdone, Gru sets in motion a plan that will see him shrink and steal the moon! It is a crazy idea and he is just crazy enough to pull it off.
His plan hits a bit of a snag thanks to his rival and Gru decides that he needs to adopt these three little girls, get them to do a job for him and then ditch him. Gru though actually becomes very attached to the little girls and it is ultimately this that leads him to give up his “evil” ways and try to be good.
The movie, to be honest, is not exactly the most original movie in the world, but it works. I say this because the voice acting, writing and animation are absolutely first rate all the way. I really do have next to no complaints about this movie. The fact I put it the at the bottom of my ranking of the series tells you how much I love the others!
Anyway, a huge part of what I love about Despicable Me is the Minions. The Minions are awesome and they are a lot of fun, even back in this first movie. Actually, fun is the best way to describe the movie. It has a lot of slapstick humor to it and I have heard it compared to Loony Tunes in the past and it does have some of that humor to it.
While Despicable Me does have a ton of humor I also think that the heart and the action it has really balanced that silly slapstick stuff out very well. It really does make it quite a well-rounded movie and one that is an absolute joy to watch on a family movie night.
The series really has gone from strength to strength and I look forward to what the guys at Illumination do with this franchise next. Despicable Me is one of those movies that when the kids ask to watch it, you really do not mind at all. That is because you will be having just as much fun as they are!
