I never really enjoyed the first one but it did well enough for a sequel (and now a third one) to be made. Despicable Me 2 has a very predictable story where its only charm are the Minions. Without them, this would be another bland animation that isn't funny or original. The story doesn't capture your interest and it's your typical plot in which the villain falls in love while saving the world. The shift into a love interest makes it feel somewhat different to the tone of the first film. There were no surprises along the way, you could tell what was going to happen (whether who was the secret villain or the love story) from the beginning. The movie overall wasn't that funny either, sure, there are a few points in the story where you would chuckle but it's not enough to make the rest of the dull film enjoyable. The run time feels so long because the story drags on and on. Despicable Me 2 lacks fun, charm and inventiveness.