Despicable Me 2 (2013)

Film and Plot Synopsis

“Despicable Me 2” is a heartwarming animated film that follows the adventures of reformed supervillain Gru as he navigates the challenges of fatherhood and love while trying to thwart a new threat to humanity. Directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, the film serves as a sequel to the highly successful “Despicable Me” and continues to explore themes of family, redemption, and the power of love.

‘Despicable Me 2’ Movie Summary

The story picks up where the first film left off, with Gru (Steve Carell) enjoying his newfound role as a doting father to his three adopted daughters: Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Fisher). However, Gru’s peaceful life is disrupted when he is forcibly recruited by the Anti-Villain League (AVL), a top-secret organization dedicated to fighting crime, to help track down a dangerous criminal who has stolen a top-secret mutagen known as PX-41, which can transform living beings into indestructible killing machines. AVL’s leader, Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan), does not believe that Gru has given up crime and begun a legitimate jelly business as he claims.

Reluctantly agreeing to assist the AVL, Gru is partnered with Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), an enthusiastic and quirky agent who quickly captures Gru’s attention. As they embark on their mission, Gru finds himself torn between his duty to stop the villain and his growing feelings for Lucy. Gru’s friend and assistant, Doctor Nefario (Russell Brand), quits to accept a more villainous job offer since Gru has given up his life of crime.

Gru and Lucy are stationed at a shopping mall with a cupcake store as their front. Meanwhile, Gru’s Minions, the lovable yellow creatures who assisted him in his villainous endeavors, are acting strangely, disappearing one by one and ultimately being abducted by a mysterious figure. As Gru and Lucy delve deeper into their investigation, they uncover evidence pointing to Eduardo Pérez (Benjamin Bratt), the owner of the Mexican restaurant Salsa & Salsa. Eduardo has a strong resemblance to El Macho, a legendary supervillain who supposedly died by riding a shark into an active volcano with two hundred fifty pounds of dynamite strapped to his chest. Gru and Lucy break into Eduardo’s restaurant but discover no evidence that implicates Eduardo with the theft of the PX-41.

Can I be the first to say “eww”?” Edith (Dana Gaier)

Meanwhile, the girls speculate that Gru has fallen in love with Lucy, although their father continually denies his affections. All three girls desperately want a mother, so they push Gru to pursue a relationship with Lucy. After his suspicions about Eduardo turned up nothing, Gru pursues other possible suspects, including the mall’s wig merchant Floyd Eaglesan (Ken Jeong). Lucy finds traces of PX-41 in Floyd’s shop, and the AVL arrests the wig-man after finding a nearly empty jar of the mutagen in his shop. Ramsbottom believes that the case is closed and reassigns Lucy to another assignment in Australia. Gru is surprised to find himself disappointed in Lucy’s departure.

However, Gru’s suspicions about Eduardo are renewed when Eduardo’s son, Antonio (Moisés Arias), begins flirting with Margo. Margo and her family are invited to Eduardo’s Cinco de Mayo party. At the party, Gru follows Eduardo around his home and discovers that he is indeed El Macho. Eduardo confesses to faking his death and reveals that he has hired Doctor Nefario to work for him. Eduardo confesses to kidnapping Gru’s Minions and using the mutagen on them to alter them into nearly indestructible, purple, savage beasts. Eduardo shares his intent to conquer the world with the help of the altered Minions and the mutagen. Eduardo asks Gru to join him in his world conquest. A terrified Gru leaves the party with his girls, but a suspicious Eduardo sends one of the mutated Minions, Kevin, after Gru and his family.

Meanwhile, a lovelorn Lucy decides to disobey orders and return to Gru. She arrives at the party right after Gru leaves. Eduardo realizes that Lucy and Gru are in the employ of the AVL and kidnaps Lucy. Nefario witnesses the kidnapping and tells Gru about what Eduardo has done. Gru breaks into Eduardo’s base with a pair of disguised Minions. However, the other mutated Minions see through the disguises and attack them. At the same time, the mutated Kevin breaks into Gru’s house and attacks the girls. The girls lure Kevin into Gru’s lab where Nefario arrives with an antidote that reverses Kevin’s condition. Nefario uses Gru’s jelly to contain the antidote for the mutagen. He, the girls, and the unaffected Minions rush to help Gru and begin curing all the mutated Minions.

At the same time, Eduardo threatens to launch Lucy into a volcano on a rocket. Eduardo uses the mutagen on himself to increase his abilities. However, Gru and Nefario team up to stop him. Before Gru can free Lucy from the rocket, Eduardo’s pet chicken, Pollito, activates it. Gru works to free Lucy from the rocket before it crashes into the volcano. During the process, Gru asks Lucy out on a date, which she accepts. Once Lucy is free, she and Gru jump into the ocean before the rocket crashes into the volcano.

The film then jumps forward several months after Gru and Lucy have gone on one hundred forty-seven dates. The couple gets married, and Lucy becomes the mother that the girls have always dreamed of having.