《卑鄙的我2》

    The sequel to the 2010 Universal hit “Despicable Me” is not as good as the first one, but there’s still plenty to enjoy thanks to those zippy* visuals and a pitch-perfect* voice cast led by the innately* animated Steve Carell.

    The film finds Carell’s Gru more or less enjoying his new family life after adopting* Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and little Agnes (Elsie Fisher), even swapping his more evil activities for a startup jelly-and-jam-making operation. But he soon finds himself in a stickier* situation when he’s sent by the top-secret Anti-Villain League to track down the criminal of a new heist* involving a huge electromagnet*.

    Setting up an undercover* operation in a mall cupcake shop, Gru meets fresh AVL recruit* Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), with his suspicions* set on the sociable owner of a Mexican restaurant (Benjamin Bratt), who looks like El Macho. Macho is a bad guy believed to have died while riding a shark into a volcano with 250 pounds of TNT* strapped to his chest.

    It’s those kind of details that give the series a funny Looney Tunes-style nuttiness*.

    Returning directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud and the returning writing team of Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul again keep the energy at a brisk clip*, while Carell and the rest of cast bring those expressively drawn characters to life.

    Production designer Yarrow Cheney creates great visual effects and Pharrell Williams’ springy songs go nicely with Heitor Pereira’s bright score.

    Those who choose to leave at the start of the end credits* will be missing out on another entertaining 3D demonstration led by a handful of those wacky* Minions.(SD-Agencies)