History YMMV / DespicableMe2

** The girls were not fond of their foster mother in the first film, but they open up immediately to Lucy. Hilariously, both women are voiced by the same person.

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel[=/=]EvenBetterSequel: Many felt that the sequel had much better jokes, a more interesting story and, at the very least, put the Minions to better use.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Most of the villains from Despicable Me [[KarmaHoudini go unpunished]] - in fact, don't even appear. Mr. Perkins still presumably runs the Bank of Evil, Miss Hattie presumably still runs the orphanage and neither of them figure in the plot. The sequel instead focuses on a LoveInterest for Gru.

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel[=/=]EvenBetterSequel: Goes both ways, seeing as how the original was sort of a LoveItOrHateIt type of film. Regardless, many felt that the sequel had much better jokes, a more interesting story and, at the very least, put the Minions to better use.

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: Those who were not huge fans of the original felt that the sequel had much better jokes, a more interesting story and, at the very least, put the Minions to better use.

* HarsherInHindsight: Lucy smiling while watching Gru and his daughters interact and then referring to him as a "fun dad" takes a sadder note when WordOfGod revealed later on that Lucy's parents were killed when was very young.

* TheScrappy: Much like Gru, there's plenty of people who hate that Chicken.
* StrangledByTheRedString: Gru and Lucy don't show much attraction or chemistry for the first half of the film, and their feelings for each other seem to come out of nowhere for the sake of them being in love.

** There's also the small gag when the girls try to set Gru up for online dating, and he claims he looks like a bit like Creator/BruceWillis. What makes this scene hilarious is that Gru is voiced by Creator/SteveCarell, and both of the actors worked together on [[WesternAnimation/OverTheHedge another movie]] in which Carell's character looked up to Willis' character.

* PortmanteauCoupleName: Grucy (Gru and Lucy). Martonio (Margo and Antonio).

** There's also the small gag when the girls try to set Gru up for online dating, and he claims he looks like a bit like Creator/BruceWillis. What makes this scene hilarious is that Gru is voiced by Creator/SteveCarell, and both of the actors worked together on [[Film/OverTheHedge another movie]] in which Carell's character looked up to Willis' character.

* AssPull: Dr. Nefario and the [[spoiler: Super-Serum Antidote]]

* UnfortunateImplications: The first movie received glowing praise for its positive portrayal of single parenting. This movie, however, implies that a child isn't truly happy without a mother, an opinion worsened by Gru's on-screen criminal negligence. [[http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2013/06/second-opinion-despicable-me-2-2013.html]]

* UnfortunateImplications: The first movie received glowing praise for its positive portrayal of single parenting. This movie, however, implies that a child isn't truly happy without a mother. [[http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2013/06/second-opinion-despicable-me-2-2013.html]]

* UnfortunateImplications: The first movie received glowing praise for it's positive portrayal of single parenting. This movie, however, implies that a child isn't truly happy without a mother. [[http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2013/06/second-opinion-despicable-me-2-2013.html]]

* BadassDecay: In-Universe example with El Macho. Gru initially describes him as a truly unstoppable powerhouse of a man. When we finally see him in action, he never does anything so impressive and [[spoiler: takes the transformation serum to take on Gru.]] While justified by his old age, this is oddly never commented on.
* EarWorm: "Another Irish Drinking Song" as sung by the minions.

* EnsembleDarkHorse: Shannon, the annoying woman Gru gets set up on a date with. This is partly due to her being voiced by Kristen Schaal, a voice actor whose popularity has exploded recently due to her brilliantly [[WesternAnimation/GravityFalls voicing certain other]] [[WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers eccentric female characters]].

* HilariousInHindsight: In the first film, Gru tries to keep his supervillain identity a secret by claiming he was a spy. Cut to this movie, and he is hired as a spy for the Anti-Villain league.

* MemeticMutation: The minions' imitation of a fire engine's siren: "BEE-DO BEE-DO BEE-DO....."

* NightmareRetardant: The Evil Minions. They look like deformed Build-A-Bears and sound like they're vomiting. Not exactly scary is it?
** But don't forget - they may look goofy, but they can shrug off bullets and devour police cars. [[SpaceWhaleAesop Keep jelly with you at all times, just in case.]]

** Pharrell Williams' "Happy" which makes you sing and dance while walking on the streets.

* BadassDecay: In-Universe example with El Macho. Gru initially describes him as a truly unstoppable powerhouse of a man. When we finally see him in action, he never does anything so impressive and [[spoilers: takes the transformation serum to take on Gru.]] While justified by his old age, this is oddly never commented on.

** It looks like LittleMissBadass Edith will finally get a moment in the spotlight to fight the Monster!Minion in her ninja costume...[[spoiler: then Dr. Nefario shows up in the nick of time and injects it with anti-serum.]]

** Arguably Pharrell Williams' "Happy." Did ''anybody'' see that becoming such a gigantic hit song?

** Arguably Pharrell Williams' "Happy." Did ''anybody'' see that becoming such a gigantic hit song??
* FanNickname: "Village Minions" for the Minions mimicking the VillagePeople in the DancePartyEnding. It's even in Youtube's autocomplete now!

* UnfortunateImplications: Gru is an absolutely fantastic dad and seems to have no problems taking care of the kids. Despite this, the movie implies that a child isn't truly happy without a mother. [[http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2013/06/second-opinion-despicable-me-2-2013.html]]

* Easily Forgiven: When Dr Defario leaves, he doesn't just go to work with another villain. He starts actively working against Gru. He abducts and performs horrific experiments on the Minions he had considered family. He is welcomed back with open arms.

* UnfortunateImplications: Eduardo and Floyd are ''really'' stereotypical, though perhaps Eduardo gets it worse. More than a few Hispanics were uncomfortable with his character's portrayal. There's also the fact that [[spoiler: these are the only non-white characters in the movie. One is an irritating RedHerring that vanishes halfway during the movie, and the other is the villain.]]
** Eduardo might have been playing the stereotypical behavior up to keep people from realizing [[spoiler: he's really El Macho]]. Cinco De Mayo isn't even a major holiday in Mexico- it's more of a Chicano thing that got promoted as a big celebration day by beer companies.
** Eduardo's son Antonio also carries many of the stereotypical LatinLover traits...though he isn't involved with his father's nefarious schemes, so that's a plus.
*** To be fair, Eduardo is portrayed as very suave and affable, willing to dispense helpful advice to Gru before his true colors as El Macho were shown. In addition, his cunning, intelligence, manipulations and sheer badassitude (especially in his younger years) bordered on the [[MagnificentBastard magnificent]] and was a far more credible threat to Gru and his loved ones than Vector, who was just an {{Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain}}.
** Dr. Nefario abducts and experiments on the Minions that he considers family. When he leaves Gru to find other work, he joins a villain actively working against Gru.

** There are also plenty of fans who adore the OfficialCouple Gru/Lucy.

* FanFavorite: Lucy has gained quite the fanbase on certain websites, with fans adoring her CloudCuckooLander tedencies, her feats of {{Badass}}ery, and her chemistry with Gru.

* HilariousInHindsight: In one trailer, Gru was starting to get a little PapaWolf when he thought Margo's friend Avery may be a boy. Margo does get a crush on a guy named Antonio later in the movie.
** In the first film, Gru tries to keep his supervillain identity a secret by claiming he was a spy. Cut to this movie, and he is hired as a spy for the Anti-Villain league.