A breezy, kid-friendly sequel that leans harder into slapstick and Minions chaos than the first film, with enough charm and pop-culture energy to keep families entertained. It’s not especially sharp or memorable, but the voice cast, upbeat pacing, and playful villain setup make it an easy watch if you’re already in… Read more
Despicable Me 2
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Animation · Comedy
Wed · 1h 38m
Director: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt
Overview
Gru is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help deal with a powerful new super criminal.
Director
Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
Cast
Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt
Curator Review
Verdict
A breezy, kid-friendly sequel that leans harder into slapstick and Minions chaos than the first film, with enough charm and pop-culture energy to keep families entertained. It’s not especially sharp or memorable, but the voice cast, upbeat pacing, and playful villain setup make it an easy watch if you’re already in the mood for animated comfort food.
Best for
families with younger kids
viewers who like broad animated comedy
fans of light spy-parody plots
people who enjoy the Minions’ brand of chaos
Skip if
you want a sequel that deepens the characters
you dislike hyperactive kid comedy
you’re tired of Minions-centric humor
you prefer wit over noise
Overview
Despicable Me 2 is the rare sequel that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel so much as decorate it with more gags, more gadgets, and more Minions. The result is uneven, but it stays upbeat and easygoing, with a strong enough comic rhythm to carry its thin story through to the finish.
Worth noting
The movie works best when it plays as a goofy spy caper with a domestic twist, pairing Gru’s awkward family life with a fairly simple anti-villain mission. There are stretches where the humor is more frantic than funny, but the animation is polished and the voice performances keep the whole thing buoyant.
Bottom line
It’s not the most essential animated sequel of its era, yet it has a certain shameless charm that explains why so many viewers defend it. If you want something harmless, colorful, and fast-moving for kids or a low-stakes rewatch, it does the job.
Top Letterboxd reviews
James (Schaffrillas) (2.5★) · 4809 likes
Where is Vector? Is he safe? Is he alright?
Danny (4★) · 2943 likes
I like it, fuck you.
ximenaribs (4★) · 2866 likes
Let me get this straight, you think despicable me 2 is good and find minions funny? I do, and I’m tired of pretending I don’t
sarah (4★) · 1920 likes
y’all are just afraid to admit that this is the peak of cinema
Remobo (3★) · 1760 likes
It's 2021...where is my giant, tortilla chip sombrero with guacamole filling?
Themes
found family, redemption, parenting, spy parody, supervillains, domestic comedy, kid-friendly chaos, good vs evil