‘Despicable Me 3’ Review Roundup: Third Time Is Not The Charm For Franchise

Despicable Me 3 is faring okay in reviews, garnering an above-average 62% on Rottentomatoes. Critics agree that children will like the fourth installment in the Despicable Me franchise (including spinoff Minions), but adults may not appreciate the potty humor. And the plot quickly grows tiresome the third time around.

Steve Carrell stars as both Gru, and his just found evil twin brother Dru. Kristen Wiig plays Gru’s new secret agent wife. Together, they must stop Baltahzar Bratt (played by Trey Parker), a former child star who sets out to destroy Hollywood for ruining his young career.

DESPICABLE ME 3 REVIEW ROUNDUP

“Those rather inside jokes notwithstanding, unlike the Pixar movies the appeal to adults feels limited. Even the kids in attendance during an advance screening seemed notably antsy, perhaps because of the semi-arid stretches between the big slapstick and vaguely naughty sight gags that the gibberish-spouting Minions in particular provide, including a peculiar foray that lands them in prison… So while the first movie was, as noted, at its core rather charming, for Despicable Me, the third time definitely isn’t the charm.”
–Brian Lowry, CNN

“Steve Carell is one funny guy and he carries the Despicable Me franchise on his shoulders… Gru is getting acquainted with his long-lost twin brother Dru, also voiced by Carell. You might think two Grus would be even better than one, but what actually happens is the crucial triangle that made the first two films both sweet and funny is ruptured… A splashy ending does something to redeem the action before setting up the characters for a potential sequel but who needs more Dru? Perhaps Minions 2, already announced for summer 2020, should close the door on the Despicable party.”
–Kate Taylor, The Globe and Mail 

“Despicable Me 3 is an example of how even the most promising animated franchises can hit a wall if allowed to continue too long… Pharrell Williams provides a few new songs that, despite being suitable to the scenes in which they play, don’t stick in the memory. They, like pretty much everything else in Despicable Me 3, are forgettable. Still, although the film isn’t a must-see for older viewers, it fills a niche. It’s a perfectly reasonable option for a family movie outing and isn’t so bad that adults will cringe.”
–James Berardinelli, Reelviews

“Here’s some Despicable Me math: third movie plus Gru times two plus one new supervillain = not much of anything… What mild enjoyment the movie offers is mostly thanks to South Park’s Trey Parker, who voices the new supervillain character Balthazar Bratt, a 1980s child star out to get revenge and illicit treasure for having been forgotten by fickle fans… Gru and Lucy must prove their secret agent bona fides to new boss Valerie Da Vinci (Jenny Slate), who is determined to fire them both for failing to deliver. If only she could do the same to the filmmakers.”
–Peter Howell, The Toronto Star

“Apparently, the French animation studio Illumination has some laughing gas still left in the tank. Just when it looked as if those goofy, bumbling Minions had lost their appeal, writers Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio have come up with just enough inspired silliness to merit another installment… Some of these story lines could make a solid movie on their own. Then again, it is rewarding to see Paul and Daurio trying to earn their keep instead of using the Minions as ATMs.”
–Dan Lybarger, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette