Despicable Me 2 Review: Why It’s One of the Franchise’s Best Sequels
Can a former supervillain remain entertaining once he has already learned to love his family? Despicable Me 2 answers by giving Gru a problem he cannot solve simply by becoming a better father: he must decide how to use his old skills in a new life, while making room for a person who might change that life again.
The 2013 animated sequel finds Gru (Steve Carell) raising Margo, Edith and Agnes after leaving his criminal career behind. His attempts to run a legitimate jelly business and manage the demands of family life are interrupted when Anti-Villain League agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) recruits him to investigate a stolen mutagen. The search leads them to Paradise Mall, where Gru suspects the cheerful restaurant owner Eduardo Pérez (Benjamin Bratt) is hiding a dangerous identity.
Directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin and written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, the film combines a spy caper with family comedy and an unexpectedly awkward romance. The Minions have more to do than simply interrupt Gru's plans: their disappearance and transformation become central to the danger. Lucy, meanwhile, gives the film a new character who can challenge Gru, work beside him and imagine a place in his family without treating the girls as an afterthought.
This is a research-based critical assessment, informed by the film's published plot details, official production information and contemporary reviews rather than a firsthand screening. We distinguish reported critical responses from our own analysis of the story and its choices. The argument for calling it one of the franchise's best sequels is that it builds on Gru's change in the first film instead of asking him to repeat it, while keeping the animation's talent for visual comedy.
That does not mean every element is equally strong. The mystery around Eduardo is less emotionally compelling than Gru's relationships, the daughters do not all receive the same attention, and some reviewers preferred the sharper edge of the original Gru. The sequel is at its best when the action, jokes and family story are doing the same work. Let’s get into it
Spoiler note:This review discusses the villain's identity, the Minions' fate and the ending.
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The Story: Gru's New Life Meets a New Threat
Gru's days of spectacular villainy appear to be over. He is raising his adopted daughters Margo, Edith and Agnes, keeping his Minions busy and working with Dr Nefario (Russell Brand) on a legitimate jelly business. The arrangement is not entirely smooth: Gru has to manage ordinary parenting problems, and Nefario misses the excitement of their old work. Still, the household gives Gru a purpose beyond proving himself to other villains.
That routine changes when the Anti-Villain League sends Lucy Wilde to recruit him. A powerful chemical called PX-41 has been stolen, and the agency wants someone who can recognise how a criminal might use it. Lucy introduces herself with the help of a lipstick taser, and Gru eventually agrees to assist. The pair set up an undercover cupcake business at Paradise Mall while looking for a suspect among the other shopkeepers.
Gru becomes convinced that Eduardo Pérez, owner of Salsa & Salsa, is actually El Macho, a supervillain thought to have died. While the investigation proceeds, Margo develops an interest in Eduardo's son Antonio, giving Gru a very different reason to watch the family closely. His discomfort as a father and his suspicion as an investigator overlap, creating opportunities for both comedy and misunderstanding.
The story becomes more urgent when Minions disappear. Eduardo is indeed El Macho, and he has used PX-41 to transform captured Minions into aggressive purple creatures. He intends to use them in a plan for domination, while Lucy finds herself in danger after returning from an assignment that would have taken her away from Gru. The climax asks Gru, Nefario and the family to stop the scheme and restore the Minions rather than simply defeating them.
That structure gives the sequel a clear external conflict, but the mystery is not its deepest pleasure. Gru's developing trust in Lucy, his concern for the girls and his loyalty to the Minions make the case matter. The stolen chemical provides the problem; the characters' relationships give it weight.
Gru After Villainy: A Better Sequel Question
The first Despicable Me followed Gru as three sisters changed the direction of his life. A sequel could have repeated that transformation by making him relearn the same lesson. Instead, Despicable Me 2 starts after the change has happened. Gru already loves the girls and has made fatherhood central to his daily routine. The question becomes how he handles the practical and emotional consequences of that commitment.
Agnes's birthday party offers a concise example. When the planned fairy-princess entertainment is unavailable, Gru steps in wearing a costume that does not suit his imposing appearance or serious manner. The gag depends on a familiar contrast, but it also tells us something important: he is prepared to look foolish for his daughter. His affection is established through what he does, not only through a statement that he has changed.
The jelly business makes the transition less tidy. Gru and Nefario possess a remarkable laboratory and a workforce willing to follow instructions, yet creating a product people enjoy proves difficult. Gru's abilities were designed for elaborate schemes; a normal business demands a different kind of success. That mismatch gives the film a source of comedy while acknowledging that leaving villainy does not automatically supply a new career.
Carell's performance helps maintain continuity between the old and new versions of the character. Gru can still be impatient, dramatic and suspicious. His accent and emphatic delivery make ordinary situations sound like major operations, whether he is discussing a date or dealing with a child's party. The warmth of his family life does not require him to become a blandly agreeable parent in every scene.
Not every critic found the change equally successful. In hisRogerEbert.com review, Odie Henderson praised a number of jokes and performances but felt that the reformed Gru had lost some of the sharper quality that made the original character compelling. That is a reasonable reservation. A character who no longer seriously intends to be bad will create a different kind of tension from one whose plan is actively at odds with his growing affection for three children.
The sequel's answer is to make Gru's vulnerability less about whether he will choose the girls and more about what happens after he has chosen them. He can protect them from a villain, but he cannot keep Margo from growing up or guarantee that a new relationship will be easy. Those smaller uncertainties give the film somewhere to go after the first story's emotional resolution.
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Lucy Wilde: A New Partner With Her Own Purpose
Image source: CultureMap Dallas · Image credit: Universal Pictures / Illumination
Lucy is the sequel's most important addition. She enters as a competent Anti-Villain League agent with a mission, not as a person waiting for Gru to notice her. Her recruitment technique is energetic and not especially gentle, and her gadgets make clear that she is comfortable operating in the same exaggerated world as the former supervillain. The lipstick taser is funny because it looks playful while proving immediately effective.
Kristen Wiig gives Lucy a different comic rhythm from Gru. He often responds to uncertainty by becoming more guarded; she tends to move towards it with enthusiasm. Their differences make the undercover cupcake-shop arrangement lively. Neither is simply copying the other's style, yet both can contribute when an investigation becomes dangerous.
The film also gives them opportunities to notice one another outside the mission. Gru's arranged date with Shannon becomes uncomfortable, and Lucy intervenes when she sees that he is being treated unkindly. The incident becomes broad slapstick, but the character point is straightforward: Lucy pays attention to Gru's feelings at a moment when he is trying to hide them.
Gru's attraction is more persuasive because it follows shared experiences. Lucy has seen his eccentricities, met the Minions and observed his concern for the girls. He has seen her work, confidence and kindness. The relationship does not depend solely on an announcement that two adults should be together because the family story needs a new member.
Lucy also makes decisions of her own. When reassigned to Australia, she confronts her feelings about leaving; she turns back rather than simply waiting for Gru to make every choice. El Macho captures her, and Gru's rescue becomes a large action set piece, but her return to the conflict begins with her own decision. That distinction helps the romance remain a partnership even when the climax uses a familiar rescue structure.
The film compresses the journey from mission partners to marriage into a brisk ending. Viewers who would prefer more time with their courtship may find the jump abrupt. Even so, the story establishes the qualities that make the pairing appealing: Lucy sees Gru's unusual life and responds with curiosity, while Gru discovers that trusting another adult need not diminish his love for his daughters.
Margo, Edith and Agnes: A Family Still Growing
Image source: Roger Ebert · Image credit: Universal Pictures / Illumination
The girls are essential because they prevent the sequel from treating fatherhood as a lesson Gru has already completed. A family changes as its members grow, and the three sisters do not all need the same thing from him. Their different reactions to Lucy, parties and the investigation help make the household more than a cheerful backdrop for the spy plot.
Margo's interest in Antonio gives Gru a recognisable parenting problem. He is suspicious of Eduardo for reasons connected to the mission, but he also struggles with the idea that his eldest daughter is interested in a boy. At Eduardo's party, his attempts to interfere become physical comedy. The joke works because the audience can see the difference between a real investigative concern and a father's desire to keep his daughter from growing up too quickly.
When Antonio disappoints Margo, Gru's response is exaggerated by his access to a freeze ray. The gadget turns a common protective impulse into a cartoon gag. The more useful emotional point is that Margo's feelings matter: she is not simply a reason for Gru to be annoyed. His challenge is to support her while recognising that she will have experiences he cannot control.
Agnes gives the romance another perspective. She hopes for a mother and responds to the possibility that Lucy might become part of the household. That wish can be sweet without implying that Gru has failed as a father. The family already has a strong bond; the sequel imagines that another person might join it, bringing a relationship of her own with each child.
Edith contributes a mischievous, adventurous energy that helps the sisters feel distinct. She is often happy to embrace the household's unusual gadgets and chaos. The limitation is that the film gives her less of an individual storyline than Margo's interest in Antonio or Agnes's hope for a mother. A longer look at Edith's own response to change would have made the family portrait richer.
The voice cast helps keep the three sisters recognisable: Miranda Cosgrove voices Margo, Dana Gaier voices Edith and Elsie Fisher voices Agnes. Their roles do not have equal dramatic weight, but their contrasting personalities ensure that Gru is parenting three individual children rather than an interchangeable group.
The Minions: From Comic Distraction to Central Stakes
Image source: TV Azteca · Image credit: Universal Pictures / Illumination
The Minions are an obvious source of physical comedy, and the sequel gives them plenty of space to create trouble. They help with Gru's jelly business, respond noisily to formal occasions and attempt to assist during the mall investigation. Their language and expressive animation make their intentions clear even when the words are not ordinary English: they are usually eager to help, easily distracted and extremely confident in a plan that has not been thought through.
The shopping-mall rescue shows why they work best as part of a larger scene. Gru and Lucy need to escape after investigating Eduardo's restaurant, and two Minions arrive with a vehicle. Their loyalty is not in doubt, but driving through a place designed for shoppers makes the rescue more chaotic than the agents intended. The humour comes from the contrast between a simple instruction and the increasingly complicated result.
The Minions' disappearance gives the group a more substantial story function. Once Eduardo uses PX-41 on them, their familiar yellow appearance changes and their behaviour becomes dangerous. The transformation is a colourful visual idea, but it also makes the villain's scheme personal to Gru. He is not only trying to stop an army; he is trying to bring his helpers back.
That choice gives the climax a useful moral shape for a family film. The purple creatures are frightening and need to be stopped, but they have not chosen what happened to them. Dr Nefario's antidote and the jelly delivery system provide a way to protect other people while restoring the Minions. Their cure is an act of care as well as a solution to the action plot.
The expanded Minion presence can be a matter of taste. If you enjoy repeated physical gags and gleeful noise, they are a major attraction. If you prefer the quieter family scenes, their interruptions can compete for attention. The sequel is strongest when their comedy either changes the direction of a scene or connects to Gru's relationships, rather than merely pausing the story for another accident.
Eduardo and El Macho: A Lively Villain With a Familiar Goal
Image source: IMDb · Image credit: Universal Pictures / Illumination
Eduardo Pérez is introduced as a sociable restaurant owner and Antonio's father. Gru believes that beneath this friendly presentation is El Macho, a supposedly dead villain famous for extravagant feats. Benjamin Bratt gives Eduardo an expansive confidence that suits a character who enjoys being noticed, even while hiding a dangerous operation.
The disguise creates a useful comic problem for Gru. His suspicion may be correct, but Eduardo's hospitality makes it difficult to investigate him openly. A party can function as an opportunity to look for evidence and a social occasion Gru cannot easily refuse. The situation becomes even more complicated because Margo is interested in Antonio.
The reveal links Eduardo to the stolen mutagen and the missing Minions, giving him a direct role in the film's central conflict. His plan is visually suited to animation: transformed creatures, elaborate machinery and a climax involving a shark rocket all fit the franchise's taste for oversized schemes. El Macho makes an imposing opponent without requiring the film to become realistic.
His weakness as a character is that the desire for power is less developed than Gru's personal conflicts. The audience understands what Eduardo plans to do, but the film spends less time exploring why he wants it beyond the pleasure of villainy. That is not necessarily a problem for a brisk family comedy, though it makes him less emotionally memorable than Lucy or the girls.
There is also a representation question worth considering.Common Sense Media's reviewcriticises the use of stereotypes in the Mexican villain's portrayal. A viewer can enjoy the theatrical performance and still notice that the character draws on broad cultural signals. The film's confidence in its cartoon style does not make that criticism irrelevant.
The Comedy: Gadgets, Awkwardness and Visual Payoffs
Despicable Me 2 uses several comic styles rather than relying on one kind of joke. Gru's princess costume is a visual contrast; Lucy's lipstick taser is a gadget gag; the restaurant date develops into a longer physical routine; and the Minions' mall rescue turns a clear instruction into a series of escalating mistakes. The variety helps the film appeal to viewers who respond differently to slapstick and character comedy.
The most effective jokes have a clear purpose inside the story. Gru dresses as a princess because he wants Agnes's party to succeed. Lucy uses the taser because she needs to recruit a reluctant former villain. The Minions drive through the mall because Gru and Lucy need help. Knowing what each character wants makes it easier to understand why the solution has gone wrong.
Callbacks also reward attention. Lucy's taser is introduced as a threat to Gru, then becomes a keepsake and later a tool he can use against El Macho. The joke changes meaning because the relationship between its two owners has changed. The device remains ridiculous, but it also connects the film's first meeting to the final confrontation.
The screenplay's weaknesses are most noticeable when its separate strands compete for attention. A romantic scene, a Minion gag and a clue about Eduardo can all be entertaining, but moving quickly between them sometimes means the daughters or villain receive less time to develop. The film's energy is a strength, though it occasionally substitutes another comic event for a deeper look at a character.
Animation and Music: A Bright World With Clear Personalities
The animation gives each character a recognisable physical language. Gru's long limbs and imposing silhouette make his attempt to appear delicate at a party especially funny. Lucy's quicker movements and expressive gestures complement her enthusiasm. The Minions' small bodies and collective reactions allow a gag to be understood across a crowded scene.
Paradise Mall is a useful setting because it combines familiar everyday spaces with the film's secret-agent fantasy. Cupcakes, restaurants and escalators become part of an investigation involving disguises and gadgets. A family audience can understand the layout of a shopping centre, which makes the absurdity of a vehicle moving through it easier to follow.
The purple Minions demonstrate how much colour and shape contribute to the storytelling. They are recognisably connected to the yellow helpers, but their altered appearance signals that something has gone wrong before every detail of the plan is explained. Their eventual return to their usual form makes the cure immediately legible.
Music also helps establish the sequel's playful mood. Pharrell Williams contributed original songs, and the film uses musical energy to accompany changes in Gru's emotional life and the final celebration. The soundtrack can make the story feel buoyant even as the plot introduces a dangerous mutagen and an apparently unstoppable villain. That tonal balance suits a film that wants peril without abandoning comedy.
How Does It Compare With the First Film?
The original Despicable Me has the advantage of a stronger initial surprise: Gru begins by treating the girls as part of a scheme and gradually becomes their father. The emotional turn is central to the whole film. The sequel cannot recreate that exact discovery without undoing what has already happened, and it is sensible not to try.
Despicable Me 2 instead explores what comes after the family has formed. Gru's daily routines, Margo's growing independence and Agnes's hope for another family bond all depend on the first film's ending. Lucy brings a new relationship that can expand the household, while the Anti-Villain League mission lets Gru's old skills remain part of his identity.
That makes the sequel one of the franchise's strongest continuations, though calling it better than the original is a matter of taste. The first film has a more concentrated emotional transformation. The second has a lively new partnership, a broader spy adventure and a more active role for the Minions. Viewers who value the original's sharper contrast between villainy and fatherhood may prefer the first; those who enjoy Lucy and the larger ensemble may return to the sequel more often.
Screen Daily's contemporaryreviewpraised the sequel's balance of comedy and sentiment while acknowledging that it was less original than its predecessor. RogerEbert.com's more qualified response also valued the jokes and voice cast while finding the pacing uneven. Those different reactions underline the trade-off: the film gains familiarity and new relationships, but it cannot have the novelty of meeting Gru for the first time.
What Does Not Work as Well?
The mystery is enjoyable as a framework, but Eduardo's true identity and plan are less layered than Gru's personal story. Once the film has established his villainous ambition, there is limited time to explore him beyond the reveal and confrontation. His theatrical confidence is entertaining; his motive is comparatively simple.
The daughters also receive uneven attention. Margo has a clear conflict involving Antonio, and Agnes's wish connects to the romantic ending. Edith contributes humour and family energy but has less of a separate arc. For viewers who loved the sisters' collective journey in the first film, the spy plot can sometimes feel as though it has moved them towards the edge of the story.
The romantic ending is deliberately swift. A time jump shows that Gru and Lucy have gone on many dates before their wedding, but the audience does not spend much time with that period. The film establishes their mutual affection and compatibility; it leaves some of the process of integrating Lucy into the family to the viewer's imagination.
Finally, the film's broad humour will not appeal equally to everyone. The Minions' noise, the fart gun and the purple-creature action are central to its personality. They can be a source of delight for one viewer and an interruption for another. That contrast helps explain why the sequel can be praised as a lively family comedy while also being criticised for uneven pacing.
Who Should Watch It?
Choose Despicable Me 2 if you enjoy family animation with a fast-moving plot, expressive physical comedy and a romance that grows out of teamwork. It is particularly rewarding for viewers who liked Gru's relationship with the girls in the first film and want to see how that family changes when Lucy arrives.
You do not need to remember every detail of the original to understand the mission. The film establishes that Gru is a former villain and a father, and the new investigation has its own beginning and resolution. Watching the first film first adds context to his transformation and the sisters' bond, which makes some of the sequel's family moments more meaningful.
For younger viewers, the purple Minions and action scenes may be more intense than the bright animation suggests. The UK listing gives the film a U rating, while theRaising Children Network guidenotes that some transformed creatures and action sequences may frighten young children. Suitability depends on the individual child and what they find upsetting.
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Where to Watch Despicable Me 2 in the UK
As checked in October 2026,JustWatch's UK listingidentifies Sky Go and NOW Cinema as streaming options, alongside digital rental or purchase. Rights and individual service catalogues can change, so check the current listing and your subscription before planning a film night.
Universal also lists digital and physical-disc options on itsofficial film page. Store availability and purchase terms vary by region; a digital purchase may be subject to the retailer's licence conditions.
Verdict: A Sequel That Knows Its Family Has Changed
The strongest argument for Despicable Me 2 as one of the franchise's best sequels is that it does not reset Gru to the beginning. He is already a father, and the film finds comedy in what that means from day to day. Lucy introduces a fresh relationship, the Minions become part of the central problem and the spy story lets Gru use his old abilities for a different purpose.
The film is less focused than the original's transformation story. Eduardo's plan is straightforward, Edith receives less individual attention than her sisters, and the final romantic jump is quick. Those limitations are balanced by a lively new partnership and a series of visual gags that grow naturally from the characters' goals.
For a family audience looking for colourful action, awkward romance and an affectionate found-family ending, the sequel offers a strong reason to revisit Gru's world. This assessment does not assign a personal star rating because it is based on research rather than a firsthand screening. Its conclusion is that the film's most successful continuation is not the bigger villainous scheme, but Gru's effort to make space for the people who have changed his life.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Despicable Me 2 worth watching?
It is a strong choice for viewers who enjoy Gru's family story, Lucy's energetic spy partnership and the Minions' physical comedy. Its villain and some supporting characters are less developed than the central relationships.
Do I need to watch the first Despicable Me film?
The sequel explains enough to follow its mission, but the first film provides valuable context for Gru's adoption of Margo, Edith and Agnes and his decision to leave villainy.
Who directed Despicable Me 2?
Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin directed the 2013 animated sequel. Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio wrote the screenplay.
Who voices Gru and Lucy?
Steve Carell voices Gru, and Kristen Wiig voices Anti-Villain League agent Lucy Wilde.
Who is the villain?
Eduardo Pérez is revealed to be El Macho, a supposedly dead supervillain who has stolen PX-41. Benjamin Bratt voices him.
Why do the Minions turn purple?
El Macho uses the PX-41 mutagen on captured Minions, turning them into aggressive purple creatures. Gru and his allies work to restore them.
What is the film's strongest family storyline?
Gru's adjustment to his daughters' changing needs is central. Margo's interest in Antonio and Agnes's hope for another family bond show different sides of that adjustment.
Is Despicable Me 2 better than the first film?
That is subjective. The original has a more concentrated story of Gru becoming a father; the sequel adds Lucy, a spy mission and a larger role for the Minions.
Where can I watch Despicable Me 2 in the UK?
JustWatch lists Sky Go, NOW Cinema and digital rental or purchase options. Availability can change, so check the current service listing.
Is it suitable for young children?
The UK listing gives it a U rating, but the purple Minions and some action scenes may frighten sensitive younger viewers. A current parent guide can help you decide.
Sources and Further Reading
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