Despicable Me 2

For many of the same reasons that Despicable Me was such a delightful change of pace, Despicable Me 2 feels more familiar than fresh.

As is frequently the case these days, franchises are born more from box-office success than creative necessity, and this sequel has only a fraction of the originality demonstrated by its predecessor, even if it’s more heartfelt.

Again the focus is on an antihero named Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), who has given up his aspirations of becoming a supervillain in favor of a more settled life as a single father to his three adopted daughters.

Before long, his honest life in manufacturing is thrown into turmoil when he is recruited by Lucy (Kristen Wiig), an agent for the Anti-Villain League who is trying to track down the thief of an arctic laboratory with eyes on world domination.

The ensuing pursuit of the devious El Macho (Benjamin Bratt) not only provides a new perspective on criminals for Gru, but it forces him to set his priorities between saving the world and protecting his own family.

The film shows some real 3D visual imagination while the script further develops its characters within the framework of a redemption story. In fact, the story is all over the place, although its mystery holds together fairly well amid a clever blend of sight gags and one-liners.

This follow-up maintains some continuity behind the scenes with directors Chris Renaud (The Lorax) and Pierre Coffin, as well as screenwriters Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, who all return from the first film. They keep the pace lively to supplement the modest plot, even if it turns crude and low-brow in spots.

Carell again makes for an appealing match with Gru, mixing charm and malevolence. However, Wiig’s newcomer to the party is more functional than amusing, providing a lackluster romantic subplot. Then there are the diminutive yellow sidekicks known as the minions, who are cute at first, but we’ve seen their bag of tricks once already.

Fans of the first Despicable Me film might be content to see their favorite characters in a new adventure, yet they won’t find much variety when they browse for plush toys and fast-food merchandise tie-ins.

Rated PG, 98 minutes.