‘Despicable Me 2’ Receives Generally Favorable Reviews From Critics

Despicable Me 2 is receiving mostly positive reviews from the nation’s top critics. The film opens in theaters across North America today (June 3).

The animated comedy is the sequel to directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud’s 2010 box office hit. The folks at Universal are no doubt hoping the movie proves to be just as popular with moviegoers as the original installment.

Judging from the early reviews Despicable Me 2 received ahead of its release, fans of the first flick should have no trouble enjoying the follow-up. As of this writing, the film has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 76 percent.

“An animated sequel that, despite not achieving the inspired lunacy of the first movie where Gru literally steals the moon, is smartly calculated to deliver squeals to kids and amusement to accompanying adults,” Globe and Mail critic Liam Lacey explained in his review.

San Jose Mercury News writer Randy Myers said basically the same thing in his critique of Despicable Me 2. Although it’s not as silly and over-the-top as the original movie, audiences young and old should still be charmed by the movie’s on-screen shenanigans.

“While it isn’t as touching or as exuberantly funny as the original, it’s a cute summer diversion for kids with just enough wink-wink slyness and cheeky cinematic asides to hold the interests of older teens and adults,” Myers wrote.

Since there isn’t a movie currently on the market that is loved by everyone on the planet, Despicable Me 2 is receiving a few negative reviews as well. Most of problems appear to stem from the sequel’s departure from the elements that made the original a success.

“By the end, every child in the audience will want his or her own monster-minion toy. Adults will just regret the way that ‘Despicable Me 2’ betrays the original film’s devotion to bad-guy gaiety,” Entertainment Weekly critic Owen Gleiberman explained.

Despite the handful of negative reviews, the Despicable Me sequel is expected to trump Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer’s The Lone Ranger at the box office this weekend. Given the amount of money Disney dumped into the project, this probably isn’t the sort of news the studio wants to hear.

Are you planning to catch Despicable Me 2 in theaters this weekend?