Minions & Monsters review: Charming adventure splits itself in half
‘Minions & Monsters’ finds the yellow fellows on two amusing quests, but doesn’t find the time to fully explore either.
The Despicable Me movies introduced audiences to the Minions — little yellow guys who gleefully serve Gru in all his schemes. However, the formerly evil mastermind is far from their first boss. The prequels chronicle the Minions’ early searches for a “big boss.” Beginning their subservience in the prehistoric era, each dismissal renews their search for a leader. The films thus far only scratch the surface of their thousands-years search. But in the early 20th century, a trio of Minions embark on a different quest. Minions & Monsters is a tale of two pursuits: finding a new boss and retaking Hollywood.
The Minions (Pierre Coffin) scour the globe in search of the biggest and meanest evildoers. But as their loyalty surpasses their helpfulness, they tend to displease all their bosses. Along the way, James chronicles their journey in stories, which his best friend Henry finds very entertaining. In the 1920s, their quest brings them to Hollywood. Crashing Max’s (Christoph Waltz) film set becomes a happy accident. The Minions go from walking disasters to movie sensations. However, when their fame predictably fizzles, Dick insists they return to looking for a new boss. But James is convinced they could make a home in Hollywood — they just need to find a monster to star in their comeback picture.
This Minions movie is made for film nerds. The picture opens with the little yellow guys making cameos in some of the earliest films. They ride a horse (and several other animals) in tribute to the first moving picture. They exit the factory with the rest of the workers in the Lumière brothers’ film. The Minions even help plan Georges Méliès’ trip to the moon. Of course, the commonality amongst these films and the others they star in is they are all silent. When sound enters the picture, the Minions suffer the same fate as many silent film stars. Since few people understand Minionese, they’re expelled from Hollywood as no longer profitable or employable.
The latest picture in the saga introduces many new Minions. Dick is the stick-wielding leader everyone begrudgingly follows. James is unique since his dream isn’t finding a new boss but telling stories, which naturally evolves into directing movies. Henry loves James’ accounts of their adventures and encourages his creativity. Ed completes their trio, repeatedly coming through in a pinch in spite of being the only mute Minion. Even though these new personalities are likeable, audiences will feel the absence of the Minions they know and love — namely Bob, Kevin and Stuart — throughout the picture.
Splitting the narrative into two separate missions at the midpoint makes the film feel fractured. The movie loses focus when James, Henry and Ed split off from the rest of the group. They concentrate on trying to find a monster to feature in James’ movie. Expecting to conjure Cthulhu, they end up with the green, squishy, pint-size Goomi (Trey Parker), who promises to connect them with the giant creatures they need.
In the meantime, Dick leads the others to their new boss: the alien robot, Dort (Jesse Eisenberg), who has an uncanny resemblance to the extraterrestrial visitor in The Day the Earth Stood Still. However, since the Minions find him at a sci-fi gathering, the odds of him being the real deal dwindle as the movie progresses. Unfortunately, the divided attentions mean the monsters and Dort never fully develop into full personalities.
Nonetheless, the film has a strong non-Minion voice cast. Waltz is great as James’ Hollywood mentor, Max. He believes in his vision, and shows such passion for their work and the industry. Meanwhile, Jeff Bridges voices twin studio heads, clearly defining their contradictory personalities. Allison Janney is the enthusiastic studio tour guide compelled to educate her group when they don’t know about James and Henry’s contributions. Parker delivers the most cartoonish voice, delightfully portraying the cunning little Cthulhu knock-off. He talks sweet like the gummy candy he resembles, but there’s something brewing in that squeaky, bulbous, gelatinous head.
While this film introduces audiences to the first Minion with his own ambitions, franchise fans will appreciate a return to the familiar in the mid-credit sequences. Hopefully the next picture finds a way to bring the old and new personalities together.
Directors: Pierre Coffin and Patrick Delage
Starring: Trey Parker, Allison Janney and Christoph Waltz
