​FILMS

minions

2015 review number 103:

Minions: (Animation/Comedy): 75 out of 100: The cute and cheeky Minions from Despicable Me have their own movie and this is set before Gru was their master. It is an entertaining, often hilarious romp, that doesn't have the emotional depth as the recent Inside Out, but it serves its purpose well in delighting adults and children alike.

 

The movie begins during the age of dinosaurs where the narrator, Geoffrey Rush, informs the audience that the Minions' main goal in life is to serve their master. We are taken through the ages of their masters such as Egyptians and a vampire, with each master meeting their doom through an accident caused by a Minion. The story then settles in 1968 where three Minions led by Kevin, Stuart and Bob leave their isolated sanctuary to seek a master, for although the Minions are safe from predators, they are miserable because they don't have a despicable master to serve. Upon arriving in New York, they discover a villain convention to be held in Orlando, Florida where Scarlett Overkill (Sandra Bullock) catches their eye. The three Minions hitch a ride with the Nelson family whose parents are Walter (Michael Keaton) and Madge (Allison Janney). At the convention, the Minions earn the right to become Scarlett's henchmen and they are embroiled in her plans along with her husband Herb (Jon Hamm) to steal Queen Elizabeth's crown.

 

Although the Minions speak little English and there are no subtitles, they are still funny due to their actions and the way they speak. Credit must go to Pierre Coffin for providing all their voices. Geoffrey Rush is competent as the narrator but he is definitely no Morgan Freeman, who is the king of all narrators. Sandra Bullock provides a convincing villain's voice but she is still no match for Steve Carell's Gru. Michael Keaton, Allison Janney and Jon Hamm are just surplus to requirements and their characters could have been voiced by anyone.

 

There really isn't too much to get emotionally involved with here. Despicable Me had Gru vying for the affections of the three girls he adopted. This movie is purely made for entertainment value so don't expect to gain anything deep and meaningful here. The story is a lot of fun but gets a bit silly at the end although that probably matches the personalities of the main characters...silly characters finding themselves in silly situations.

 

Due to the setting, all of the songs on the soundtrack are from the late 1960s. For this music dinosaur, it was simply sublime to hear all these hits ranging from The Rolling Stones to The Beatles. Children who are unfamiliar with these songs will crave the pop tunes like Happy from Despicable Me 2.

 

Make sure you stick around for what must be the longest after credits sequence ever filmed. This one clocks in at a little under two and a half minutes and it's a joy to see all the characters from the movie hamming it up at the same time.

 

There's enough in this prequel to entertain adults and children. Judging by international box office figures, it seems that many people agree. Just enjoy it for what it's worth, a 90 minute romp with crazy characters that don't require you to overexert your brain.

 

Featuring the voices of Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney and Geoffrey Rush

(91 minutes)

Parental advice: Low level violence

Additional scene during or after credits: Yes, during the credits there are miscellaneous skits with the Minions and Gru. After the credits, Kevin, Stuart and Bob are miming to Revolution by The Beatles and playing instruments. We then see all the characters from the movie appear on screen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8hxFE7RpSg (Movie trailer)

(Reviewed on Wednesday 15th July, 2015)

 

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