“Banana!” That is the perfect word for our favorite yellow henchmen. Not only is it their favorite food, it also it the best fruit to use when describing what a Minion looks like. With the release of “Despicable Me” we were introduced to Gru, but more importantly we were made aware of the Minions. By the time we got to the second film, the Minions started to become just as important as Gru, and how couldn’t they. So it was just a matter of time when they would get their own film, and that time only took two years and this time we get to see them before Gru.
It seems the Minions, are on a bad streak, when it comes to seeking out the biggest and baddest creature to follow. The problem eventually becomes, that there is always someone bigger or they don’t last, so the Minions are always looking for evil in all the wrong places. After being forced into exile, the Minions start to lose their purpose, and it takes one, the one named Kevin to announce that he will seek a new evil boss to help the tribe find their purpose again. So with the help of Bob and Stuart, they start an adventure to find their new leader. That adventure takes them to New York, where they discover the existence of the “Villain Con”. Sounding like the perfect place to find an evil boss, they travel there, and meet Scarlett Overkill (Sandra Bullock), who takes Kevin and company to jolly England. Once there, Scarlett introduces them to her husband Herb (John Hamm) and gives them a mission to steal the crown jewels and bring them to her. With a plan and three Minions, what could possibly go wrong?
As you go into the film, the thought does come up on how a movie where their main characters talk in gibberish is going to sit. Well with the clever use of words you do know placed at the right time, it does very well. The film has plenty of moments that will have you laughing, as the story focuses on the late sixties as its backdrop. While the laughs are plenty, the film can feel slow between the moments it sets up for you to crackle at. The story was written by Brian Lynch (Hop) and directed by the duo of Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin, who also provide voices or in this case the sounds of the Minions. The film looks great, with textures that are flawless and like a lot of animation, the 3D enhances the film, something that’s not usually associated with 3D in live-action. When it comes to family films you want to pick one that the whole family can enjoy, and while this one doesn’t have the adult themed-messages that is behind something like “Inside Out”, it does entertain. Sometimes it’s good to just go sit back and watch a movie with out much thinking. “Minions” will never be confused for a “thinking” film but what you can’t deny is the fun that can be had with this little guys.
Brian Taylor
