Seriously not understanding the backlash this movie is getting.

I have just walked home after seeing this movie. I think it was fun and light-hearted and sweet. I enjoyed it for a kid's movie.

That being said, there were several times where I cringed at the stereotyped Hispanic character, it was a bit on the nose. I was really looking forward to El Macho from the preview I watched, and was surprised that I found the over-the-top Mexican clichés made me feel pretty uncomfortable in parts (I thought people were overreacting about the character before I saw it).

I can absolutely understand why Hispanic people might feel aggravated about it - poking fun at stereotypes in a kids movie can get some laughs - but it's naïve to imagine that those types of ideas don't seep into a child's subconscious. It's very likely kids will be picking up stereotypes from this film. It wasn't subtle at all. I wondered on my way home what kind of reception they'd have had if they'd made a black villain who loved fried-chicken and constantly spouted ghetto-slang.

THAT being said - I thought Benjamin Bratt's voice was lovely and I know the kids we had with us enjoyed it (although it was slightly too long for the youngest - 7 years old) and the adults got a few 'adult' jokes too.

I think every movie should be analysed for the sake of developing alertness to it's cultural impact. True, this movie doesn't specifically invite criticism as it seems quite benevolent, yet even it is expressing particular values that can influence viewers and their lives in possibly less than positive ways.

For the reason that the characters are presented in broad terms a "real world" setting, everything that occurs in that world conveys a particular social and/or political meaning or consequence. Gru's suffering at the hands of a quasi-government agent who uses brutal methods of persuasion (and apparently oblivious to the pain inflicted); the use of guns throughout the film that shoot things, sometimes in a machine-gun mode; and potential racism via stereotypes are examples I can think of the film conveying particular stances on issues and values that may be viewed as being negative or not morally sound.

However, because this is both a comedy and a cartoon designed for light-hearted satire and fun, these factors need to be considered in context and thus evaluated very carefully.

School is out. All the young junior high kids who don't have anything to do this summer staying home have no friends are on their computers trolling, hating, etc. as a means of releasing their inner anger.

I loved this movie, as did my kids. But, people are going to analyze a movie after seeing it, even if it was just meant to be a silly kids' movie with themes that adults can enjoy as well. People are going to voice their complaints. I think several of the complaints are over the top, like the racism () against Hispanics, but expecting people not to analyze a movie on IMDB is a little bit of a ridiculous expectation.

It is indeed a kids movie and im sure it went down greatly with them. The first movie was better to me as an adult though. Reason is that Gru was evil which was cooler, and i find the minions in the second one a bit annoying since they were on all the time doing things for the absolute smallest kids (no talking just mumbling and falling around - every second almost).

But again, its a kids movie. I just enjoyed the first one more.


"If only you could see what i've seen with your eyes"

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I couldn't even stand the first 20 or so minutes of the first one and... this one got a better metacritic score? Think I'll wait a few more months to see if it keeps the score, might consider watching it *if* it's better than the first one.

Basically every big movie on IMDB will get backlash, the critical consensus was decent and so is the popular rating.