Ban-nan-na! Si.
The cutest creatures to grace the silver screen in the last 10 years has returned for their Origins feature film. And if it’s cuteness and laughter you’re after, it is cuteness and laughter you will get. Well, not quite roll on the floor laughter, but laughter all the same.
I will try not to spoil it for you, as I thoroughly encourage you to take little kids if you’ve got them, or any big kid at heart you know. Either way, the secret or not so secret child in you will come out and just enjoy the ride. I had a smile plastered on my face from the beginning of the movie to the very end. I just couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face. I am also a massive fan.
I had expected to be overloaded with cuteness, well, I just expected to see Minions all the time. And that is what Directors Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin have given us. They heard what the people wanted and they have delivered. Coffin also voices Kevin, Stuart and Bob.
There’s something so incredibly charming about Kevin, Stuart and Bob. And each have their own very distinct personalities. There are a lot of parallels between Kevin, Stuart and Bob with Margo, Edith and Agnes. From their height order, to their personality traits, relationships with each other, and stuffed toys preferences.
Kevin steps up to be the leader of the tribe, he’s determined to find the tribe a new Boss to serve. He’s stern and a bit of a mother hen (Margo), especially to the ever enthusiastic and child-like Bob (Agnes). Bob’s sweet, he’s a little on the naïve side, eager to please and excitable. He’s also a bit of an idiot. Well, in truth, they all are. Stuart is cool (Edith). He has aspirations of being a famous rock star, his head is a little in the cloud and fancies himself a bit of a playboy (not like any of the girls).
Sandra Bullock is Scarlet Overkill, and as the name suggests, everything about her is a little on the overkill side. She’s fabulous as a villain. She’s intelligent, competent, determined and a little heartless when it comes to the boys, minions are disposable to an evil overlord. She has great aspirations for herself, and a husband who is an evil genius inventor, Herb Overkill (Jon Hamm). Scarlett just had the misfortune of recruiting The Minions. I see her fate going very differently if she had not accidentally recruited The Minions.
The movie takes you on a ride, you learn how The Minions get their outfits, find out about Scarlett Overkill and Villaincon, get access to Villaincon with the help of the Nelsons, successfully get recruited by the most awesome villain of 1968, and end up robbing The Queen. You also learn how Bob ended up being King and (spoiler alert) how The Minions go on to work for Gru.
Minions is a great fun movie with cute characters who just make you want to hug somebody. It’s ultimately a feel good movie that embraces your inner evil doer wannabe self and puts a smile on your face.
Kudos to Geoffrey Rush, who, as the narrator, did a brilliant job. He’s delightfully dry and the best narrator since Ron Howard.
The animation is exactly what you would expect from Illuminations Entertainment and the creators of the Despicable Me. For anyone who is a fan of 1960’s pop culture, you will find littered throughout the movie, music and references which depict our very groovy past.
Movies about secondary characters often fail and fall short, as secondary characters are often secondary for a reason. The Minions are secondary characters, but regardless, they are charming and are just so cute. Sandra Bullock’s Scarlet is the stand-out in this movie, and she keeps this movie from falling flat and being a failure. Scarlet is the secondary character which is really the primary in the case.
Just a heads up, stay to the very end of the credits, Illuminations always give you a little something something at the end.
Rating: 7/10, this movie is fun and filled with cuteness, it just lacked the depth and punch that Despicable Me had.
See it again: Yes, it made me all warm and fuzzy on the inside and outside, a feeling which I relish and thoroughly enjoy. If only more movies could make you feel this way.
Worth my time: Yes, oh so very yes, it is worth it just to smile for an hour and half.
Take my mother: Definitely, mum loves all things cute, and she’s got overriding powers with my nephew, if I take my mother, I get to take my nephew and he can sit on my nap and I can pretend he’s my own little minion to cuddle.
Talking points: Oh so many, but I’m afraid as to whom I will talk to about them. After all, I don’t want to seem like a freak who’s never seen a movie before. But they’re just so cute!
Annoyance factor: 2/10, no Agnus. I get it, different timeline. But…
Ranter & Banter 
I got tired of this joke before the movie ended, but I appreciate the gusto with which the filmmakers — particularly Coffin, with his nimble vocalizations — carried it out.
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