Does anyone else 'not get' Despicable Me?

Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but I mostly liked it more than I thought I would because of the nigh-complete lack of the genre's overuse of popular culture references, which is really near the bottom of the barrel where humor is concerned. The humor was character-driven, like an old-school Disney movie.

But the minions and gratuitous gross-out humor still hold it back, preventing it from rising above to some level of quality that really stands out. But hey, as far as animated films are concerned, you could do waaaaaaaaaaay worse these days.

I'm having trouble understanding this too. The minions are cute and fun but they have maybe 5% of the air time devoted to them and they were an after thought. The director and writers were going with hulking brutes in the early months of the movie.

It's a cute movie but not hilarious. I think it pulls at the emotional strings of parenting and bonding so if you are childless and/or doesn't really plan on children this movie just is not as easily relatable.


Esther: My name was in the Bible!
Fred: Yeah, Samson slew the Philistines with your jaw-bone!

I think I "got" it. I just watched it tonight and thought it was a wonderful story of an anti-hero's comeuppance, told in the fashion of a 3-D animated kid's movie. Of course there's going to be a lot of silliness going on, but what "Despicable Me" does is present the essential story of redemption through the creation of emotional bonds between an unlikable character and some genuinely innocent interlopers.

Funny thing: I had just stopped watching an indie drama/comedy called "Some Girl(s)" which came highly recommended to me but really failed to win me over, mostly because the main character was very difficult to like, and, as such, he set me up for a good character transformation, which was just what I got with Despicable Me.

I agree. I thought it was alright, still better than half of those animated films coming out, but far from great.

*Gru was not so likable. Very cliched, especially when he was getting 'softer' (the good old bitter-character-has-a-heart routine...seen it so many times). I really preferred him as villain-acting. He reminded me of Shrek btw - always easily annoyed and grumpy.

*The disco dance at the ending. What is it with cheesy dancing at the credits (i.e. Tropic Thunder)?

*If this is a comedy, well, it wasn't that funny. I only laughed once and that was at Gru's mother's 'eh' lines when he was showing her his creations.

*The children weren't likable. Also didn't like how they were forced with cheesy one-liners and cutesy theatrics. I thought the film didn't even need the kids. I would've preferred if this film was primarily focused on Gru, Vector and the Minions. Oh, and you don't need kids as main characters to have a good family movie (i.e. Shrek).

Life is like a beautiful melody, only the lyrics are messed up.

I ask the same thing. I watched it just because people was hyping it... I don't see the appeal. Dumb story, bad voice acting, bad animation...

Sure, the minions are a bit fun at times, but the movie have taken all of their character references from "Raving Rabbids", including the plunger at the end.
This movie was a waste of my time.
I miss the times when good good animated film were made (not talking about Japan, that still makes good animated films) it makes me sad to think that the highlight of animation seems to have been late 80's early 90's. And it has just gone downhill from there.

X ~We are the people our parents warned us about

I agree. I feel the same way about anchorman as well