‘Minions & Monsters’ Review: New Tribe, Fresh Laughs
Still playing in some theaters, ahead of its release on Video On Demand services next week, the franchise keeps pushing forward.
Once upon a time, I plunged deep into the world of minions.
More than 10 years ago, writing uncredited for Fandango in 2015 -- why I was uncredited escapes me, because I was credited for many other articles; was I trying to protect my non-existent ‘reputation’?, but it was fine for me, since the checks always cleared -- I helped to create “Meet the ‘Minions’: Your Adorable Guide to the Good and Not-So-Good…”
That was meant to help publicize the imminent release of their origin story, Minions. The cute, though some say cloying, creatures were introduced in Despicable Me (2010) as loyal servants of the evil Gru. They were the breakout stars of the movie: Kids loved ‘em, adults tolerated ‘em, and everyone remembered ‘em.
After supporting the human stars in Despicable Me 2 (2013), the Minions took their rightful place as the stars of their own movie, which earned more than one billion dollars worldwide. Naturally, sequels have followed, though Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) did not arrive until after Despicable Me 3 (2017) and the COVID pandemic.
Now, four years later, we have Minions & Monsters, which, surprisingly, received better marks from critics than audiences! I’m not sure what that’s about; perhaps children stayed home because they were watching the World Cup with their parents? So far, the movie has made only $452 million worldwide, against an admittedly large budget ($172 million), so maybe there is something to it.
Created by Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin, and Eric Guillon, the latest installment was directed by Pierre Coffin, who also voices the Minions. Though the opening scenes of Minions (2015) told of their origins centuries ago, that movie’s primary narrative began in 1959.
The primary narrative of Minions & Monsters follows a different tribe of Minions than the ones depicted in Minions. This particular tribe’s story gains momentum when they inadvertently cross paths with a film production crew early in the 20th century, soon somehow becoming silent film stars in the 1920s.
As with other silent film stars, the advent of sound in the late 1920s spells doom for movie stars who speak a language that no one other than them understands, and so the Minions must adapt to their changing circumstances.
The first 30-35 minutes are comedy gold, overflowing with LOL visual gags, and stuffed with references to classic movies that adults will truly appreciate. After the brilliance of those sequences, the rest of Minions & Monsters pales by comparison, though it rallies in its sheer, unadulterated grasp for something different than the same-old same-old animated movie scenes.
I loved the ambition, loved the references, and could appreciate once again why children respond to material that is childish yet never talks down to anyone. If it’s playing in a movie theater nearby -- probably a morning matinee screening -- that’s preferable, but if not, a home video purchase or rental (depending on your personal finances) is recommended.
Visit the film’s official site for more information.