DESPICABLE ME 2 – A reformed villain, his adopted kids and his yellow minions charm without harm in Despicable Me 2.

Oh, those crazy little minions. The little yellow French toast sticks were the highlight of Despicable Me in 2010, and now in Despicable Me 2 they’re delightfully showcased in ever creative ways. Not bad for supporting characters who only speak gibberish!

Thankfully the rest of Despicable Me 2, cookie-cutter clean and simple as it is, is enjoyable as well. Reformed uber-villain Gru (Steve Carell), now a father of three girls who want him to start dating, is called into action by the Anti-Villain League when it needs help finding a deadly serum. Gru doesn’t initially commit, citing a number of projects of his own, but after his scientist Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) quits, Gru takes the job. If he didn’t, there wouldn’t be a movie.

Gru’s partner is secret agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), who can hold her own in a fight and kinda sorta has a crush on him. They work well together, and silly montages featuring the minions keep all of it from being taken seriously.

After learning the serum is at the local mall, Gru becomes convinced it’s in the possession of Mexican restaurant owner Eduardo (Benjamin Bratt), who bears a striking resemblance to the presumed-dead villain “El Macho” whom Gru knew years earlier. Making things more complicated is the overly protective Gru not approving of the attraction between his oldest daughter Margo (Miranda Cosgrove) and Eduardo’s son (Moises Arias).

Unlike other animated fare aimed at both children and adults, Despicable Me 2 is strictly for kids. The screenplay by Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul jams in Gru dressed as a fairy princess, guacamole hats and wild Cinco de Mayo dancing to keep the kids chuckling, all of which is in addition to the zany minion antics of singing “YMCA” and lounging on a beach. Judging by the youngsters seated near me who couldn’t stop giggling – and my own amusement as well – the movie is an entertaining success.

It is not, however, something that needs to be seen in 3-D. Directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud’s animation is adequate but not impressive (Monsters University, by comparison, looks notably better), and the 3-D is used as a gimmick rather than a technique that enhances the story. It’s fun to see Gru’s oversized nose and various objects breaking the fourth wall into your face, but at no point does the depth on the screen add to the emotion or substance of any kind. This makes the 3-D merely a cheap thrill, and for the jacked-up prices it should offer more.

The ending is a bit weak, but not so much that it feels like a letdown. And by the time the minions come on screen for the cookie credits and effectively leave the audience with a positive impression of the movie, all else is forgiven. Despicable Me 2 is not remarkable in any way, but it does entertain on a childish, silly level, and there’s something to be said for doing that successfully.

DESPICABLE ME 2 (3) • Directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud • Starring Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove • Rated PG •98 min. •At Century Cinemas Del Monte, Maya Cinemas, Northridge Cinemas, Lighthouse Cinemas.