Minions & Monsters
review by Bobby Blakey
Back in 2010 the world was introduced to a new kind of supervillain in Despicable Me. Like a lot of animated features, it spawned a franchise that not only featured four films in the series, but spin-offs focusing on the minions. Now the third film (seventh overall) in the minion saga is heading to theaters with Minions & Monsters featuring the return of Pierre Coffin voicing the minions as well as directing. Could this latest outing bring more of the Minion fun or will they fail to complete their film?
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This latest outing is said to be a prequel to the original Minions films and the first Despicable Me and follows three minions in the 1920s who go to Hollywood to pursue their dreams of becoming filmmakers, but they discover a spellbook and accidentally summon a monster.
It’s amazing how much traction this series has got out of a ridiculous group of characters that essentially just speak gibberish, yet here we are. This could easily wear thin quick, but they continue to find ways to keep them fun and entertaining with this film stepping its game up once again. I love how much lore they keep building with the minions with this time diving into Hollywood itself. Before getting there it lets us experience random new bad guy they work for that leads to the usual laughs we have come to expect.
Once it hits the Hollywood story it takes off running with a series of gags and laughs that are some of the best of the franchise. Even the lead in is great with some fun cameos and easter eggs of the industry that levels up the scope of this franchise. There are a couple of Minions that are the primary focus but every one of them brings their own personality and goofiness to the forefront to hilarious results. WE all know that most of their wacky language is random and makes no sense you can somehow always understand what they are talking about and it is always entertaining.
The Minions are easily the most simple and perfect animated characters to come along in years. Their history and purpose can be woven into any subject matter that is showcased in the opening credits here and I hope we keep getting more adventures with or without Gru in the future. There are numerous fun scenes throughout the end credits that continue their fun and tie back into other films in the franchise to more big laughs. The various monsters are great visually and brings the laughs in their own ways that further makes the film bigger and better.
The animation is beautiful and vibrant as always. They are always filled with a bright color palate and amazing attention to detail. I love this world and wouldn’t think that I would be enjoying this one more than the previous, but I think this one has jumped up to my favorite of the franchise to date.
Step into the history of Hollywood through the world of the Minions when the film hits theaters on July 1st from Universal and Illumination.