Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Despicable Me 3 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 22, 2017

Perhaps the only thing more prominent in the Despicable Me universe than the lovable Minions is the name of the production company behind them -- Illumination -- which earns a ~30 second spot at the beginning of Despicable Me 3 and features prominently on pretty much everything related to the films and characters. And rightly so. Illumination has essentially created an empire out of the franchise, a multi-billion-dollar behemoth that has taken the world by storm, spawned a spin-off and an assortment of mini-movies, and become a merchandising juggernaut. The studio has also released two other unrelated but well-received animated adventures, The Secret Life of Pets and Sing. Illumination may not yet be at Pixar status, but the studio is inching ever closer in that direction as one of the top dominant forces in the industry. Its latest, Despicable Me 3, crossed that billion-dollar threshold on a budget of $80 million, another astounding rate of return even in a summer 2017 season that saw box office numbers on the decline. The film is fun and breezy, perhaps not quite as memorable as the previous outings but there's enough excitement, humor, and charm to keep all comers entertained and all but guarantee a very yellow and green future at the box office.

Balthazar Bratt (voiced by Trey Parker) was once a child TV icon of the 1980s, but a sudden growth spurt (and all of the acne that comes with puberty) derailed his career. The derailment deranged him. He's grown up to embrace the evil character he portrayed on television and has become one of the world's most nefarious criminals. His latest effort to steal a priceless diamond is foiled thanks to the quick actions of Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), his wife Lucy (voiced by Kristen Wiig), and some of the Minions. But Bratt escapes and the repercussions for Gru and Lucy are serious: they are kicked out of the Anti-Villain League when new leadership takes charge. But Gru gets a second chance when he learns that he has a long-lost twin brother named Dru (also voiced by Carell) who tries his best to lead him astray and also right back into Bratt's crosshairs. But Gru finds himself abandoned by all but a couple of his Minions, who have been frustrated by his lack of evil ways. Can he reform Dru, stop Bratt, get his Minions back, and finagle his way back into the AVL, or is this the end of the road for the once powerful and now powerfully reformed hero?

There's a fun little moment right at the beginning when some Minions, cruising beneath the ocean, zoom on past a couple of fish who look very familiar. It's a great little moment and wink-and-nod elbow into the animation industry that signals the franchise's increasing dominance in the marketplace. The movie certainly never captures the narrative excellence of that, or any other, giant of the modern Pixar-led animated realm, but this third outing in the ultra-popular franchise certainly hits some high points, even if many of the shenanigans don't feel particularly creative. The movie finds its humor in its character subtleties and actions, in its extreme depictions of silliness, even in its more tender moments between father and daughters and, now, mother and son and brothers. Despicable Me 3 does introduce some new characters and dynamics into the fold, pulling Gru again between good and evil and challenging his personal center as well as his commitment and wish to be close to and provide for his family, his Minions, and his brother. These qualities are explored to satisfaction, and most of the rest of the movie boils down to colorful but largely generic action pieces that are unquestionably entertaining but lack evolutionary creativity. Color abounds, shenanigans sprawl, and laughs come regularly, but the most discerning audiences might feel a little let down by the absence of serious franchise propelling storytelling. But, then again, does it really matter?

The film certainly delivers where it must. Most in the audience aren't looking for stern, detailed, complex characterization. They want laughs, they want color, they want enough story to tie it all together. The film cannot be said to be anything but a major success under those requirements. The movie feels large where it must, intimate where it can be, but it does get bogged down in a few scattershot subplots, particularly one about Edith and Agnes' search for a unicorn. That only pads the runtime and allows the girls a bit more screen time than they would otherwise enjoy, but that's about it. Steve Carell once again impresses as Gru (and Dru as well), never fumbling the cadence or falling the least bit out of character compared to previous entries. He plays well off of himself as the dueling characters clash and bond in spots throughout the film and the new dynamic brings some added charm to a character who was on the precipice of growing stale. Trey Parker has a lot of fun as the villainous Balthazar Bratt, bringing an agreeable spunk and comically evil spirit to the balding, mullet-sporting, over-the-top character stuck in the 80s and comically dancing and prancing and bursting from disguises throughout the film. As talented as he may be, though, he slips into South Park Randy Marsh with regularity, a small annoyance for fans familiar with Parker's other voice work but that does suit the character very well.

Despicable Me 3 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date. Also note that this UHD contains Dolby Vision. We are not currently equipped to review Dolby Vision but are researching equipment options and will be upgrading soon.

Despicable Me 3's UHD presentation delivers a modest, but agreeable and immediately noticeable, boost in color and textural qualities over its outstanding Blu-ray counterpart. The HDR-enhanced color palette never radically alters any aspect of the production, but it does add an agreeable bit of color depth and pop to the proceedings. Every color across the very wide spectrum, and particularly most readily evident on large-scale and oft-seen shades such as the pink at the film's bookends, Minion yellow, and blue skies, benefits from the increase, all of them finding that classic HDR boost to vitality, nuance, and depth. Likewise, textural qualities are increased by a small, but not insignificant, margin. The image is noticeably sharper and finer-point details, such as can be seen on character skin and clothes (particularly the Gru and Dru white and black body suit outfits worn during the climax), reveal smaller textural qualities with greater efficiency and increased raw definition. That carries over to every element, large and small, of any variety; the image's increased stability and clarity are readily evident throughout. As with the Blu-ray, no source or encode flaws are immediately apparent. While this doesn't ascend to the very peak of the UHD format, it's certainly a thoroughly enjoyable presentation.

Despicable Me 3 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Despicable Me 3 features an exciting and energetic DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack. As expected, it's lively and very big, never skimping at any point. Music, including the barrage of Pop songs scattered throughout, play with robust stage presence and exceptional instrumental and lyrical clarity. Whether Michael Jackson's Bad or the Despicable Me theme song, every beat enjoys fruitful push into the stage, plenty of balanced surround support, and even some complimentary, well-integrated overheads. The top end helps carry a few discrete elements as well, including some added reverberation from a PA address, though there are a couple of moments -- most notably a steady downpour at the 19-minute mark -- where the effect could stand a little more assertion up above, but such is a minor complaint in an otherwise excellent listen. But all of the movie's large-scale action sequences are certainly very impressive, tossing information hither, thither, and yon with precision, seamless movement around the stage and finding expert clarity even in the most frantic moments. Clear, precise dialogue rounds a wonderful track into final form.

Despicable Me 3 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Despicable Me 3's UHD disc contains no new supplements, but it does carry over the mini movie, The Secret Life of Kyle, from the Blu-ray with a 2160p/HDR (presumably Dolby Vision) presentation. All of the core extras can be found on the bundled Blu-ray disc, and they are listed and reviewed below. A UV/iTunes digital copy code is also included with purchase.

• Mini-Movie: The Secret Life of Kyle (1080p, 4:13): Romance is in the air, and the pet "dog" from Gru's house is out to make sure he gets the girl.
• Deleted Scene with Intro by Dana Gaier (1080p, 0:40): A scene that showcases Edith's "more mischievous side."
• Minion Moments (1080p): Micro-movies. In Drenched (0:40), the minions make virtual reality more real while in Overkill (0:38) a couple of minions go to great lengths to rid themselves of a spider.
• Character Profiles (1080p): The voice cast shares a few thoughts on the character(s) they play. Included are Steve Carell: Gru & Dru (2:12), Kristen Wiig: Lucy (1:48), Miranda Gosgrove: Margo (1:57), Dana Gaier: Edith (2:20), and Nev Scharrel: Agnes (2:06).
• The Making of Despicable Me 3 (1080p, 6:50): A basic dissection of the movie's essentials: characters, story development, the film's directors, voice work, character design, and more.
• Developing Dru (1080p, 4:13): A closer look at shaping the film's new but familiar character.
• The AVL Files (1080p): A slightly interactive piece in which viewers may choose to learn more about any of six characters: Gru, Lucy, Dru, Balthazar Bratt, El Macho, and Vector.
• Freedonia Visitors Guide (1080p): Another slightly interactive piece that allows users to choose to learn more about a few locations from the film: The Crooked Forest, The Tipsy Unikorn, The Cheez Festival, The Riviera, and Free Range Pigs.
• Despicable Me TV (1080p): Product advertisements made largely through clips from the film. Included are Balthazar Bratt Action Figure (0:54), 'Bad Boy Bod' by Balthazar Bratt (0:56), and Agnes' Super Cute, Incredibly Amazing Toy Sale (1:18).
• "Doowit" Sing-Along (1080p, 1:36): Lyrics appear on the screen during the video.
• Music Video (1080p, 3:43): "Yellow Light."
• Minion Mug Shots (1080p, 1:50): A few images of Minions in prison attire. Images auto advance every 10 seconds.
• Wanted Posters (1080p, 1:30): Minons appear on wanted posters. Images auto advance every 10 seconds.

Despicable Me 3 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Despicable Me 3 doesn't reinvent the yellow-dominant wheel, but it's a fun diversion with plenty of color, excitement, a few new interesting characters, and enough Minion shenanigans to keep everyone happy. The film could benefit from a little bit of trimming (even at 90 minutes) but established series fans should find it agreeable and newcomers can jump in without much worry, too. Universal's UHD delivers excellent video, wonderful audio, and a good complimentary array of kid-centric bonus content. Recommended.