Despicable Me 2 (2013)

Summary:

Despicable Me 2 is a 2013 American animated comedy film, and the second installment in the highly successful Illumination franchise. The story finds former supervillain Gru (Steve Carell) fully retired from a life of crime and focused on fatherhood, raising his three adopted daughters—Margo, Edith, and Agnes—and managing a legitimate, but unsuccessful, jelly-making business. His domestic life is interrupted when he is forcibly recruited by the Anti-Villain League (AVL) to help track down the culprit who stole a powerful, mind-altering mutagen known as PX-41. Partnered with the highly enthusiastic agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), Gru goes undercover at a local mall, where he suspects the villain to be the supposedly deceased super-criminal, El Macho (Benjamin Bratt).

Plot:

The film opens with the theft of the potent PX-41 mutagen from a secret Arctic laboratory by a mysterious aircraft. Silas Ramsbottom, director of the Anti-Villain League (AVL), recruits Gru, believing an ex-villain is best suited to catch a new one. Gru reluctantly accepts the mission after his trusted assistant, Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand), quits to pursue a job with a new, exciting villain. Gru is partnered with the eccentric and determined Agent Lucy Wilde, and they pose as owners of a cupcake store at a shopping mall.

Gru immediately suspects Mexican restaurant owner, Eduardo Perez, believing him to be the legendary, deceased super-villain El Macho. As they investigate, Gru's eldest daughter Margo starts dating Eduardo's son, Antonio, much to Gru's overprotective annoyance. Meanwhile, Gru and Lucy grow closer, developing romantic feelings.

The AVL mistakenly arrests wig shop owner Floyd Eaglesan, causing Silas Ramsbottom to close the case and reassign Lucy to Australia, leaving Gru distraught. At Eduardo’s Cinco de Mayo party, Gru returns and discovers that Eduardo is indeed El Macho, who faked his death years prior. El Macho has kidnapped Gru's Minions and used the PX-41 serum to turn them into mindless, purple, indestructible monsters, intending to unleash them upon the world. With help from Dr. Nefario (who returns to Gru's side) and the remaining Minions, Gru manages to cure the mutated Minions. He successfully defeats El Macho and saves the world. The film concludes with Gru and Lucy, having fallen deeply in love, getting married, officially uniting their family.

Cast:

• Steve Carell as Gru (Voice)

• Kristen Wiig as Lucy Wilde (Voice)

• Benjamin Bratt as Eduardo Perez / El Macho (Voice)

• Miranda Cosgrove as Margo (Voice)

• Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario (Voice)

• Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom (Voice)

• Ken Jeong as Floyd Eaglesan (Voice)

• Elsie Kate Fisher as Agnes (Voice)

• Dana Gaier as Edith (Voice)

Crew:

• Directors: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin

• Writers/Screenplay: Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio

• Producers: Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy

• Music Director (Score): Heitor Pereira, Pharrell Williams

Release Info:

• Language: English

• Release Date: July 3, 2013 (United States)

• Running Time: Approx. 98 minutes

• Genre: Animated, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi, Adventure

• Box Office Status: Massive Commercial Success (Grossed approx. $971 million worldwide, making it the 3rd highest-grossing film of 2013)