DESPICABLE ME 2 – The Blu Review

Gotta love Gru’s Minions, those goggle-eyed scene-stealers from DESPICABLE ME, and the little yellow critters were back in the thousands, performing musical numbers no less in the gut-busting sequel DESPICABLE ME 2. Those guys are so popular they’re getting their own spin-off film, and were even a trendy Halloween costume this year. Also returning for DESPICABLE ME 2 were the same writers, directors, and French animation house responsible for the original, who stuck closely to its winning formula, even recycling some of its jokes such as the fart gun, Nefario’s comically slow scooter, and the twisted interaction between Gru and his three adopted girls. There was nothing particularly inventive in the new film’s plot but it had enough twists and turns to keep things interesting and was so relentlessly hilarious that it made for a great time if you were dragged to it by your kids. Now DESPICABLE ME 2 is available on Blu-ray

DESPICABLE ME 2 is presented in 1.85:1 1080p high definition widescreen and the film looks fantastic. As is the case with nearly all digital animated films, this is a flawless looking experience that shows spectacular coloring and pristine levels of detail and the transfer dazzles without fail. The bright colors nearly pop off the screen, the busy action scenes offer sparkling detail and depth is superb. While the animation itself isn’t as richly nuanced as something like EPIC, what’s here looks as good as it possibly can. The audio is equally superb throughout, as this exceptionally busy track offers one aurally thrilling audio adventure after another. The music comes through with strength and balances nicely with the sound design.
Unsurprisingly, the DESPICABLE ME 2, while it does not include a 3-D disc, is packed with extras:

• Three All-New Mini-Movies Starring the Minions—these each run about 6 minutes and are introduced by Steve Carell in character as Gru. –

– Puppy – some aliens turn a Minions’s pet ladybug dog-size sho he can take it for walks

– Panic in the Mailroom – a tribute to Lucille Ball’s conveyor belt humor

– Training Wheels –  stars Gru’s daughter and her magic bike

All three of these are enjoyable, but not up to the manic level of the movie proper. They almost seem like deleted scenes
Other extras:

• The Making of the Mini-Movies—A fun-filled take on the making of the mini-movies through the eyes of the artists who made them.

• Deleted Scene

• The Minions—A visit to Illumination Entertainment in Paris and Los Angeles to hear what it’s really like to work with the Minions.

• Evil Minions—Bigger, badder and more purple than ever, the newest and fiercest addition to the Minion species can chew through metal and swallow a car. Find out more about the process that led to their creation and design.

• A Gru-Some Transformation—A sit-down with Steve Carell as he discusses the transformation of Gru from the ultimate

• El Hombre Malo: The Villainy Of El Macho—Every great story needs a good villain, and Despicable Me 2 brings on the diabolico in the form of El Macho! Learn about the creation of this character and the actor who brought him to life—Benjamin Bratt.

• Gru’s Girls—Miranda Cosgrove, Elsie Kate Fisher and Dana Gaier weigh in on working with Steve Carell and playing the daughters of a world-famous super-villain!

• Gadgets Galore—Lipstick tasers, magnet ships, foam dart dispensers and jelly guns—these are the nifty gadgets of Despicable Me 2. Illumination Entertainment pulls back the curtain on what it takes to build a world that would leave even James Bond envious.

• Feature Commentary With Directors Chris Renaud & Pierre Coffin