"Despicable Me" is This Summer's Surprise Animated Hit

Featuring the funniest super-villain to hit the screen since Austin Powers' arch-nemesis, Dr. Evil, Despicable Me is this summer's biggest movie surprise. With an unforgettable catchphrase, three stubborn orphans and an army of adorable minions, this family comedy contains the formula for a box office smash.

A villain named Gru lives in the suburbs

Steve Carell lends his voice to Gru, a once-great super-villain who lives in a modest suburban subdivision. Not one to do things the easy way, Gru drives a monstrous, tank-like vehicle to the local coffee shop, freezing people so he can line jump. Despite his bizarre habits and a very dead front lawn, Gru's neighbors treat him like everyone else.

Beneath his home, however, Gru has a secret lair maintained by little yellow minions who wear goggles and overalls. Responsible for some of the greatest heists in history, the aging super-villain watches from the sidelines as up-and-comers like Vector (Jason Segel) commit bigger and better crimes. Vector committed the ultimate coup by stealing the Great Pyramid of Giza right out from under the nose of Egyptian authorities.

Frustrated, Gru decides to get back in the game by stealing the Moon. Unfortunately, he requires help in the form of three orphans named Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Elsie Fisher). These girls can help him gain access to Vector's not-so-secret hideout and the shrink ray that Gru needs to steal the Moon. Margo, Edith and Agnes have other plans in mind, however.

Gru from Despicable Me is a real softie

Despicable Me has an Avant Garde style that sets it apart from the rest of the animation pack. Modeled after classic James Bond villains, Gru looks menacing, but, as voiced by Steve Carell, he's actually a real softie. He treats his army of loyal minions with respect and employs Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand), a scientific genius well past his prime. Nefario doesn't always hear Gru's orders, often with disastrous and smelly results.

Gru also is no match for the three orphans who show up on his doorstep selling cookies. Cynical Margo and adventurous Edith don't follow any of Gru's rules, but young Agnes is thrilled that she finally has a home, even if it does contain lasers. A bundle of energy, Agnes' favorite expression, "It's so fluffy!", already has emerged as the catchphrase of the summer.

Although a comic adventure, Despicable Me works best when the focus is on Gru and the girls. At first, the orphans are just a means to an end, but they fill a hole in Gru's life that he never knew was there. Parents also will cheer when Gru gets sweet revenge on a carnival worker who runs a crooked game booth.

Gotta love the minions

The real breakout stars of Despicable Me are the funny, cuddly little minions that do all of Gru's manual labor. Some minions have one eye while others have two, but each worker speaks in the same incomprehensible language as the others. Even when they are mad at each other, the minions simply punch each other on the shoulder.

Sweet and funny with an intriguing animation style, Despicable Me is one of the freshest films to arrive in theaters this summer. As fluffy as the stuffed unicorn that Agnes loves, Despicable Me is anything but despicable.

Despicable Me, rated PG for rude humor and mild action, opens nationwide on Friday, July 9.