I have a vivid memory of going to the cinema, in my oh so innocent youth, and seeing a poster for Toy Story 3. I was of course immensely excited to see the film (which young child who was in their right mind wouldn’t have been?). As I was passing the poster, a group of teenagers, decked out in leather jackets, studded with metal spikes, probably coming out of a whatever latest horror slasher had just been released, I paused and stared at the faces of Woody, Buzz and the rest of the ‘Toy Story’ gang.
What followed was a feverish release of childish excitement as they squealed with joy, taking pictures with the 3D poster stand, with one shouting ‘Yo man, I can’t wait to see this movie, I’m so excited!’
At the time, I was baffled, unable to comprehend how these young adults could be excited for a ‘kid’s movie’ but now, looking back, I realised that they were most likely the same age as I was when the original Toy Story was released, the first generation to have grown up with the characters. No wonder they were excited for what, at the time, was billed as the culmination of one of the greatest movie trilogies of all time. It was their chance to say goodbye to characters that had been with them through their whole life, providing them with a sense of solace and comfort.
After seeing the recently released trailer for Despicable Me 4, I realised the Despicable Me movies hold a similar bearing for me.
Before anyone freaks out, let me be clear, I am by no means suggesting that the Illumination franchise is as good as the Toy Story movies. I acknowledge that they are wildly uneven in quality and lack the sense of sophistication of the Pixar movies. Yet it’s the same nostalgia that those leather jacket guys had for Toy Story that I have for the story about an evil supervillain, with banana loving, yellow ‘minions’, who learns to become and Dad and has his heart is healed by three young orphans.
I was eight years old when Despicable Me came out, and I instantly fell in love with it. Practically all kids did at the time; a movie with fart jokes, unicorns, cookie robots, and a plot to steal the moon was sure to win over little minds. It also helped that it rode the wave came of the post Avatar 3D craze, filled with moments where objects flew out of the screen, that my sugar-induced pick ‘n’ mix brain couldn’t get enough of. It was also Illumination’s first and still, in my opinion, best movie, and offered a fresh animation style that differed from the animation giants that had ruled the 2000s: Pixar and DreamWorks.
When I say the world went mad for the movie, it really went mad for the movie. It wasn’t long before minion mania took over, with the little, yellow maniacs being bedecked onto all sorts of merchandise (I hold a particular fondness for the Minion Haribo and banana flavoured ‘tic-tacs’). It has now spawned two sequels (with an aforementioned fourth movie on the way), as well as two Minion spin-off movies, animated shorts, a countless array of merchandise, video and mobile games and numerous theme park attractions (having ridden ‘Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem’ in Orlando, I can say that this is extremely fun and getting to step into Gru’s house almost made me cry). When you set this conglomerate capitalism aside however, it is simply a charming movie, filled with a sense of whimsical fantastical quasi sci-fi ridiculousness.
For those of you who are unaware Despicable Me tells the story of Gru, who dreams of becoming the greatest villain of all time by stealing the moon. A fresh new villain named ‘Vector’, who so happens to have stolen the Great Pyramid of Giza, threatens Gru’s dreams, however. So Gru decides to adopt three little girls, Margo, Edith and Agnes, who will inadvertently help him in his villainous ways. It may follow the classic ‘villain turned hero’ trope, yet when it is told as beautifully as this, I can’t help but put this to the side and watch the screen with a sense of unabashed, childish glee. From the slightly cringe, yet iconic 2010s soundtrack, cringe humour and gags, fabulous voice acting from Steve Carrell, Jason Segel and Julie Andrews, and animation that bursts with a sense of liveliness and Eurocentric eccentricity, the film tugs at the inner child. Jason Segel as Vector is wonderfully absurd and ludicrous and deserves a spot in the pantheon of the greatest movie villains of all time. Whilst some may bemoan the presence of the Minions who arguably scream ‘BUY ME’, its hard not to be charmed by their buffoonish charm.
Behind the mad plot of ‘supervillain’ trying to steal the moon lies a simple message that family can be found in the unlikeness of places, a broken heart can be patched up and that anyone is deserving of love. For me, it’s most guttural power lies from how it speaks incalculably to a sense of childhood loneliness. In a series of flashbacks (across a few of the movies), we see Gru experience forms of rejection, from both his peers and his mother. We see that Gru never felt ‘good’ or ‘worthy enough’ and ever-since has felt that he needs to achieve something spectacular in order to prove his rightful place in society. By virtue of not seeming ‘good’, Gru believes that he can achieve something by being despicable. Yet he realises, with the help of Margo, Edith, Agnes and banana loving minions, that he is good enough, just as he is.
As someone who often felt a sense of loneliness growing up, the simple message the movie sends that everybody is deserving of love, that it can be found in the unlikeliest of places, still warms the jaded and bitter parts of my childhood and teenage self that I still can’t seem to shake off. Quite simply, it is able to thaw my ‘freeze-rayed’ heart.
In the days of VHS, people often note that their favourite movies became completely wound down from the number of times that it was re-watched. Despicable Me is that movie for me: I have watched it so many times that I have lost count and on my most recent re-watch with my Mum, she started to become a little fed-up with how many times I was reciting lines.
It doesn’t matter though, as soon as the opening credits begin with those little yellow freaks, I just disappear. And you better believe that I’ll be in the cinema later this year, waiting to re-live my childhood, all be it for a short while.
I have a similar feeling with the original Matilda – movies have this wonderful way of making us feel seen and acknowledged even when we don’t necessarily realise that’s something we’ve been missing. Will be sticking on Despicable Me later tonight so I can watch it through your eyes!