“Where do the Minions come from?”
Directed by: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin
Written by: Brian Lynch
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Pierre Coffin
Swift shot: We finally get to see just what the hell these Minions are and how they came to be. While they are adorable and funny, are their ridiculous antics enough to carry a 90 minute film? Yes, but, there are definitely times where the three stooges slapstick comedy had me thinking, ok, enough already. There is only so much of that I can endure to keep my attention. Still, as I reminded a fellow critic, this is a film for children. It doesn’t matter if I really like it, did my son? Yes, he was thrilled throughout, and we will definitely be adding this to the watch a million times rotation that every parent knows all too well. And, the soundtrack was straight-up groovy, so there’s that.
Since time first began in the primordial ooze, these little yellow weirdos have lived to serve a boss. Thing is, if you’ve watched the trailers, you know they have a hard time keeping a boss. And while we are on the subject of the trailers, because this was such a short film, sadly, many of the funny bits were revealed in the trailers. Thankfully, not all the elements were spoiled, but quite a few. This is why I typically avoid trailers, if I can. But, back to the tribe, after one serious mix up, they are exiled into the arctic. They are miserable without a boss to serve, so Kevin, Stuart, and Bob (all voiced by Director Pierre Coffin) volunteer to leave the others behind to find a worthy boss to serve as loyal henchmen.
They meet the Nelsons, a sort of wannabe family of villain worshipers who are on their way to Villain Con, in Orlando . . . in 1968. It’s there that our little trio learns all about Scarlet Overkill (Bullock) who is headlining as the world’s first female super-villain. Or, allow me to piss off the feminists a bit, the first super-villainess. Oh, yes I did! I mean, doesn’t that just sound better? They manage to gain her attention, and she decides to hire them on as her henchmen.
The little, yellow guys are beyond thrilled. And the cherubic little Bob is basically smitten with their new boss. Scarlet’s husband, Herb (Hamm) is an inventor; every super-villain needs awesome gadgets, after all. Herb also really likes the Minions, but his love for Scarlet is unconditional. His adoration of the Minions hinges solely on her whims. She is a villain, so, she tends to get moody . . . especially when things don’t work out for her.
As things develop, Kevin, Stuart, and Bob must prove themselves to Scarlet by performing their first assigned task, to steal the crown from Queen Elizabeth (Jennifer Saunders). Child’s play, right? In typical Minion fashion, all hell breaks loose and things don’t exactly go according to Scarlet’s plan. I already think the trailers gave away enough of the film, so that is all the more I will say on the story. Suffice it to say, it did keep me engaged.
There is nothing exceptionally brilliant about Minions, it is a solid stand alone prequel to how the Minions came to be. I really loved a few of the scenes – particularly when the Minions get their new toys. But, again, it was listening to my son laughing and cheering along that reminded me, this is not a film for adults. While the characters aren’t rich in dialog and angst, they are fun. They are funny. They are cute. As Producer Christopher Meledandri says, “They’re not just adorable. They’re so appealing because of this contradiction between their aspiration to be bad and their essential nature that makes them so good. We all
have that side to us.”
I am not sure what to make of the fact that the best use of the 3D comes after the credits, but if you don’t stick around until then, you are missing a wonderful, rich part of the film. The soundtrack for Minions is also a stand out. And, as I have long suspected, there is a definitive linguistic pattern to Minionese. Pierre Coffin uses bits and pieces from many existing languages, and it probably won’t be long before you start seeing Minionese on resumes on LinkedIn. In fact, can we get that going, now, please?
This is a definite must see film, for parents this summer!
