Despicable Me 3 (2017)
★★½ — Despicable Me 3 (2017)
Despicable Me 3 arrived in the summer of 2017 as the fourth entry in Illumination's extraordinarily profitable franchise (counting the two Minions-heavy spin-offs), directed once again by Pierre Coffin alongside Kyle Balda, who had co-directed the first Minions standalone two years earlier. The film brought Trey Parker aboard as the antagonist, a casting choice clearly aimed at adult audiences who grew up with South Park. Made on a relatively modest $80 million for a major animated feature, it comfortably joined the billion-dollar club at the global box office, confirming that Illumination had built one of the most commercially reliable properties in Hollywood, even as the creative returns on each instalment were increasingly questioned by critics.
By this point in the franchise, Despicable Me 3 feels less like a movie and more like a feature-length toy commercial with a loose plot stapled on. Gru’s identity crisis, the long-lost twin brother, the return of the Minions (again), and a disco-themed villain, it’s all stitched together with the bare minimum of logic and emotional weight. The animation is slick, sure, and the kids are still annoyingly cute, but the spark that made the first film charming (the oddball antihero turned reluctant dad) has long since fizzled into formula. That said, the only reason this gets a 2.5* instead of a hard pass is Trey Parker. Yes, that Trey Parker (co-creator of South Park) voicing the absurdly named villain Balthazar Bratt, a child star from the '80s who never moved on. And honestly he’s the entire reason to watch. His commitment to the bit (the ridiculous costume, the synth-heavy theme song, the petty, wounded ego) is weirdly inspired. It’s clear he’s having fun, and that energy lifts the film whenever he’s on screen. Unfortunately, that’s not often enough. The story drags, the Gru-and-twin-brother dynamic never lands, and the Minions’ subplot is just noise. It’s more of the same: predictable gags, recycled bits, and a plot that exists only to get from one set piece to the next. There’s no real heart, no surprise, no reason it needed to be made. But Parker’s performance (silly, self-aware, and strangely heartfelt in its own way) adds a layer of satirical charm the rest of the film lacks. Without him, this would be utterly forgettable. With him? Just barely worth a watch. Barely.
Rating: ★★½ | Year: 2017 | Watched: 2025-08-06
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Amazon Prime Video · Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK
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Related on Movies With Macca
More from Kyle Balda: Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) · Minions (2015)
More with Steve Carell: Beautiful Boy (2018) · Despicable Me (2010) · Little Miss Sunshine (2006) · Dinner for Schmucks (2010)
More from the 2010s: Wonder (2017) · Beautiful Boy (2018) · The Witch (2015) · What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)
More animation: Fantastic Planet (1973) · Alice in Wonderland (1951) · Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024) · Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (2025)
