(Photo by Illumination / courtesy Everett Collection)
All Illumination Movies Ranked
It’s not easy to break into the major American animation scene when it’s already dominated by the likes of Pixar, DreamWorks, Blue Sky, Laika, and more — but Illumination found a way. Founded just over a decade ago in 2007, the studio stole hearts from the get-go with Despicable Me, which has spawned an entertainment empire including two movie sequels and a Minions spin-off for its ubiquitous endearing/annoying yellow boys. Meanwhile, films like The Grinch and Sing have solidified Illumination’s game plan of making upper mid-budget films with global appeal, which means the studio has yet to have a commercial dud. Minions: The Rise of Gru is out, and so is The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Migration in 2023. And with 2024, comes Despicable Me 4! With that, we’re ranking every Illumination movie by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo
#1
Adjusted Score: 88106%
Critics Consensus: Borrowing heavily (and intelligently) from Pixar and Looney Tunes, Despicable Me is a surprisingly thoughtful, family-friendly treat with a few surprises of its own.
Synopsis: Supervillain Gru, a man who delights in all things wicked, hatches a plan to steal the moon. Surrounded by an… [More]
Starring: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews
Directed By: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
#2
Adjusted Score: 83403%
Critics Consensus:Despicable Me 2 offers plenty of eye-popping visual inventiveness and a number of big laughs.
Synopsis: Now that Gru has forsaken a life of crime to raise Margo, Agnes and Edith, he’s trying to figure out… [More]
Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove
Directed By: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
#3
Adjusted Score: 81296%
Critics Consensus: Fast-paced, funny, and blessed with a talented voice cast, The Secret Life of Pets offers a beautifully animated, cheerfully undemanding family-friendly diversion.
Synopsis: Max (Louis C.K.) is a spoiled terrier who enjoys a comfortable life in a New York building until his owner… [More]
Starring: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Ellie Kemper
Directed By: Chris Renaud
#4
Adjusted Score: 79685%
Critics Consensus:Sing delivers colorfully animated, cheerfully undemanding entertainment with a solid voice cast and a warm-hearted — albeit familiar — storyline that lives up to its title.
Synopsis: Dapper Koala Buster Moon presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. An eternal optimist, and a… [More]
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson
Directed By: Garth Jennings
#5
Adjusted Score: 78411%
Critics Consensus: Second verse, same as the first: For audiences that enjoyed the first installment, Sing 2 should prove another endearing diversion.
Synopsis: This holiday season, the new chapter in Illumination’s smash animated franchise arrives with big dreams and spectacular hit songs as… [More]
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton
Directed By: Garth Jennings, Christophe Lourdelet
#6
Adjusted Score: 78179%
Critics Consensus: Beautiful animation and entertaining work from a talented voice cast help Migration take flight in spite of a story that doesn’t quite stand out from the flock.
Synopsis: This holiday season, Illumination, creators of the blockbuster Minions, Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life of Pets comedies, invites… [More]
Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Kumail Nanjiani, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key
Directed By: Benjamin Renner
#7
Adjusted Score: 79823%
Critics Consensus: The Minions‘ antic shenanigans are beginning to grate despite this sequel’s injection of retro chic, although this loony marathon of gags will still delight young children.
Synopsis: In the heart of the 1970s, amid a flurry of feathered hair and flared jeans, Gru (Oscar® nominee Steve Carell)… [More]
Starring: Steve Carell, Taraji P. Henson, Michelle Yeoh, RZA
Directed By: Kyle Balda
#8
Adjusted Score: 68093%
Critics Consensus:The Secret Life of Pets 2 doesn’t teach its animated stars any new narrative tricks — but for fans of the original, this funny, energetic sequel should still satisfy.
Synopsis: Explore the emotional lives of pets and the deep bond between them and the families that love them as Max,… [More]
Starring: Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart, Harrison Ford, Eric Stonestreet
Directed By: Chris Renaud
#9
Adjusted Score: 68418%
Critics Consensus:Despicable Me 3 should keep fans of the franchise consistently entertained with another round of colorful animation and zany — albeit somewhat scattershot — humor.
Synopsis: The mischievous Minions hope that Gru will return to a life of crime after the new boss of the Anti-Villain… [More]
Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Trey Parker, Miranda Cosgrove
Directed By: Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda
#10
Adjusted Score: 70498%
Critics Consensus:The Grinch gives the classic Seuss source material a brightly animated update that’s solidly suitable for younger viewers without adding substantially to the story’s legacy.
Synopsis: The Grinch and his loyal dog, Max, live a solitary existence inside a cave on Mount Crumpet. His main source… [More]
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Cameron Seely, Rashida Jones, Pharrell Williams
Directed By: Scott Mosier, Yarrow Cheney
#11
Adjusted Score: 75144%
Critics Consensus: While it’s nowhere near as thrilling as turtle tipping your way to 128 lives, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a colorful — albeit thinly plotted — animated adventure that has about as many Nintendos as Nintendon’ts.
Synopsis: Mario and Luigi go on a whirlwind adventure through Mushroom Kingdom, uniting with a cast of familiar characters to defeat… [More]
Starring: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black
Directed By: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
#12
Adjusted Score: 66707%
Critics Consensus: The Minions’ brightly colored brand of gibberish-fueled insanity stretches to feature length in their self-titled Despicable Me spinoff, with uneven but often hilarious results.
Synopsis: Evolving from single-celled yellow organisms at the dawn of time, Minions live to serve, but find themselves working for a… [More]
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney
Directed By: Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda
#13
Adjusted Score: 59150%
Critics Consensus: Fast paced and teeming with slapstick gags, Despicable Me 4 is as overstuffed as a piñata but full of enough candy to give audiences an enjoyable sugar rush.
Synopsis: In the first Despicable Me movie in seven years, Gru, the world’s favorite supervillain-turned-Anti-Villain League-agent, returns for an exciting, bold… [More]
Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Pierre Coffin
Directed By: Chris Renaud
#14
Adjusted Score: 61043%
Critics Consensus:Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax is cute and funny enough but the moral simplicity of the book gets lost with the zany Hollywood production values.
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Ted (Zac Efron) lives in a place virtually devoid of nature; no flowers or trees grow in the town… [More]
Starring: Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift
Directed By: Chris Renaud
#15
Adjusted Score: 29175%
Critics Consensus: It’s impressively animated, but Hop‘s script is so uninspired that not even James Marsden’s frantic mugging can give it any bounce.
Synopsis: Beneath Easter Island, in a giant factory that manufactures the world’s Easter candy, the popular rabbit is preparing to pass… [More]
Starring: James Marsden, Russell Brand, Kaley Cuoco, Hank Azaria
Directed By: Tim Hill
