by Del Valle & Panzita
In 2010 Universal Studios released “Despicable Me”, a film that seems to be a lovely and kind story for kids. Thousands of children enjoyed the adventures of Gru and his minion’s army. However, is it really an innocent story? The despicable main character, Gru, has many trends that can be compared to the evilness of Nazi Germans.
In the film, it’s clear the idea of doing anything you want to achieve your goal, without caring about other people’s feelings. This can be seen when the protagonist of the story adopts three orphans just to steal a weapon planning to abandon them after that. What is more, when he takes the girls to his house, he doesn’t show any respect for their necessities. He even serves them food and water on the floor as if they were animals. Germans had the same attitude towards Jewish people in concentration camps.
War weapons, torture elements and embalmed animals are the decoration of Gru’s house. Even when Margo, the oldest girl, tells him that place is not a proper environment for children, he doesn’t seem to care about her comment; in addition to that, there is a part in the movie where a simulacrum of a murder takes place. This happens when Edith gets into a box full of nails and a red liquid that looks like blood comes out of the box. The reaction of Gru and the girls is dramatically different. While Margo and Agness are horrified, Gru only thinks of the success of his plan which is stealing a shrink ray from Vector, another villain.
The lack of remorse that lays in Gru is almost the same in Nazi Germans. As Gru doesn’t care about what happened to the girl in the box, German soldiers didn’t care about what Jewish people had to go through in concentration camps. It’s really curious the success of “Despicable Me”, a film which is full of moments that portray the worst and criticized trends of Nazism, such as little respect for human life and social values.
The yellow and nice minions act like a real army of criminals. They all wear the same uniform with a letter “G” . In a way, it can be compared with the swastikas that German soldiers used to wear in their uniforms. Minions are depicted as brainless and stupid. They never complain or ask about what they have to do and in a way they are used to test the most stupid inventions of Doctor Nephario, the inventor of the team.
Doctor Nephario is the author of the most weird and stupid weapons ever seen. He lacks of scruples and does whatever he has to do to please his boss, Gru. In a way, Dr Nephario is to Gru what Joseph Mengele was to Hitler and the Second World War.
Although, in some parts of the film it can be said that love is present, the real lei motif of the film is to be the best villain of all times and to commit the best crime ever. The fact that at the end Gru keeps the three orphans, doesn’t mean he turns into an honest person. What is more, at the end of the movie, we can’t see Gru looking for a real job and living an ordinary life.
German Nazism was criticised by all societies worldwide. However, parents will buy tickets to “Despicable Me” without thinking about all these issues.
I watched Despicable me 1 and 2 this year and I loved them, but I hadn't thought about the facts you mentioned till now. I really like your opinion, girls. It's very interesting. However, I don't agree with this part: "The fact that at the end Gru keeps the three orphans, doesn’t mean he turns into an honest person." In my opinion, Gru began to love the three orphans and he changed because of them. This is also appreciated in the second film, in which he fights against the villians and cares a lot about the girls.
ReplyDeleteHi girls! I really enjoyed reading your essay.
ReplyDeleteLet me tell you that I learnt about Nazism al the TTC. I have never read a book or a newspaper article about it before...What is my point? Lots of parents do not know about Nazism and its atrocities, but I am sure that if they know about it, they would never choose to expose their children to their ideology.
I watched ¨Despicable Me II¨ and I really enjoyed it, but honestly I felt that something was not so nice and lovely about Gru. I am not so sure whether he wishes to change or not. What is more, I agree with you about the fact that Gru keeps the three orphans and this does not turn him into an honest person. In fact, it reminds me about an scene from the film ¨Downfall¨…Do you remember it? It was a scene in which Adolf Hitler meets his nephews. He seems to be a sensitive person who loves and cares them. However as I get in contact with the treatment that he gives to Jews children we realize that he only was able to love and care the children that belong to his own ideal race.