Despicable Me 3 Blu-ray Review

By: Lynn Barker

In Despicable Me 3, Gru (voice of Steve Carell) is living a family life and has added new wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig) but he secretly misses the excitement of his life of crime as do the Minions. Will learning that he has a twin brother, who is less than squeaky clean moral-wise, lure Gru back into less-than-legal action?

The girls think new uncle Dru is pretty coolCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Job Loss  

An agent for the Anti-Villain League (AVL), Gru is busting major criminals alongside wife Lucy. He kills the plot of supervillain and former TV child star Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) to steal a ginormous pink diamond but fails in bring Bratt in yet again resulting in new AVL Director Valerie Da Vinci’s (Jenny Slate) decision to fire the couple! Daughters Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Nev Scharrel) are sure their parents will find new work but the Minions leave when Gru refuses to return to a life of crime.

Gru faces villain Benjamin BrattCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

A Twin Bro?

Lucy tries desperately to get more “momish” with the girls and a weird butler arrives with the news that Gru has a twin brother named Dru who wants to meet him. Freaked, Gru confronts his mom (Julie Andrews) who admits that when she and Gru’s dad divorced, each of them took one twin to raise. Dru is quite wealthy due to a family pig farming business that is actually a front for bigtime crime. Anxious to meet his bro, Gru takes the family abroad to Freedonia.

Gru's mom admits that he has a twin brotherCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Minion Prison Madness

Minions who have left Gru, end up crashing a “Voice”-style talent show, are arrested and sent to prison!  The Minions are top of the heap among the prisoners at their jail, but their longing for their family life with Gru motivates them to escape via a crazy balloon-like vehicle of their own making. Meanwhile, Bratt steals the big pink diamond again planning to use it to power a huge robot made in his likeness to destroy Hollywood in revenge for his popular TV show being cancelled when he reached puberty years ago.

The Minions are stars in prisonCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Brotherhood in Freedonia

Outgoing Dru has charmed Gru's family but Gru finds him overbearing. Dru reveals that bigtime crime is really the family business and he was hoping Gru would teach him how to be a great villain like their dad was. Lucy takes the girls to tour the surrounding towns, where Margo rebuffs a local boy’s affections, angering the townspeople and little Agnes runs to the forest to find a real unicorn. Dru takes Gru on a crazy joyride in their father's car and the siblings bond. When it’s discovered that Bratt has stolen the diamond again, Dru convinces Gru to take it in one last glorious brotherly heist. Gru secretly plans to give the diamond back to the AVL hoping to get his job back.

Dru shows Gru a new weapon. Lucy disapprovesCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Beware Bratt!

The brothers get the diamond back despite Dru’s very inept work as a thief and a rescue by Lucy. They argue when Gru intends to give the stone to the ATL. Infiltrating Dru’s mansion disguised as Lucy, the evil Bratt kidnaps the kids forcing Lucy, Dru and Gru to resolve their differences to rescue them and stop Bratt’s plans to use his huge robot to destroy Hollywood.  Will they succeed? Will the Minions rejoin Gru? Will Agnes find a unicorn? Will Dru remain in the family or turn against his newfound bro? 

Gru and Dru take a joyrideCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Special Extra Features

• All New Mini Movie The secret Life of Kyle is a funny day-in-the-life of Gru’s weird-looking family pet (dog??). He’s in love with the poodle next door and is thwarted by her German Shepherd suitor but can he win in the end? Adorable.
• Deleted Scene with Intro by Dana Gaier is a cute, fully animated scene featuring Edith and Margo. Really short though.
• Minion Moments are also super short but Minion fans won’t care. We have Drenched and Overkill both featuring Minion mayhem.
• Character Profiles concentrate on five of the major characters and the actors who voice them. Steve Carell talks about playing the brother Dru in the film and how he got used to recording two voices. Kristen Wiig discusses Lucy’s evolution from super spy to stepmom, Miranda Cosgrove mentions how she literally grew up while voicing Margo. Dana Gaier recorded Edith’s voice from age 11 to 19. Her voiced changed. Little Nev Scharrel voices adorable Agnes and thinks the Minions are nicer than her own brother even if they aren’t “fluffy”!  Very sweet extra.

Minions hope Gru will be a villain againCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

• The Making of Despicable Me 3 covers filmmakers who discuss the goals of this sequel movie; evolving Gru’s story with relatable life experiences, coming up with and fleshing out the Dru character and inventing villain Benjamin Bratt and giving him a 1980’s flair and look. Interesting.
• Developing Dru is pretty straightforward in examining the character with Steve Carell and filmmakers determined to make him the total opposite of Gru right down to having hair. Fun.
• The AVL Files lets you explore each character in detail as you check out a list of facts, overviews, looks, capabilities and motivations of both heroes and villains alike. Fun for a once through.
• Freedonia Visitors Guide explores Dru’s country hotspots in a “selling” tourist’s guide manner that is pretty funny.
• Despicable Me TV is a collection of fake commercials selling Bratt dolls, his work-out program and Agnes’ super toy sale. Cute.
• “Doowit” Sing Along features the Minions in prison and lets you sing along to the words appearing on the screen.
• “Yellow Light” Music Video by Pharrell is a fun number
• Minion Mugshots and Wanted Posters are galleries of posters featuring the key Minions.

Lucy is not thrilled that Gru might be a villain againCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Wrapping Up

Despicable Me 3 is mostly fast moving and full of heart and laughter but it falls apart in the middle with the family wandering around on various unrelated adventures in Freedonia that don’t really move the plot forward and the Minions are off on their own unrelated adventure. But, you’ll enjoy the film for sure.

Dru has some amazing new weaponryCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

The extra features are all fun although some are really only worth a once-through. The little mini-movie is quite sweet and a keeper. Other extras would appeal more to very young audience members but teens can groove a bit to Pharrell’s music video. Overall, as we did for the film in theaters, we can go four stars. This one is great for collecting or giving this holiday season.

Despicable Me 3 Blu-ray Rating: 

Despicable Me 3 Blu-rayCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Buy Despicable Me 3 in stores now!

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