Minions

Cartoon ,

{[['']]}

After accidentally killing past bosses from the Tyrannosaurus to Napoleon, the minions alienate themselves and set up a desolate colony in Antarctica. The mirth of living independently wears out and the tribe slips into collective depression due to the lack of a leader. A minion, Kevin swears to bring life back to his clan by finding them a new boss. Along with two others, Stuart and Bob, he embarks on the cumbersome journey that will finally make them meet Gru.

Cast: Pierre Coffin, Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Steve Coogan
Direction: Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda
Duration: 1 hour 31 minutes


Review: Minions made their way into our hearts with the unabashedly hilarious Despicable Me in 2010. Five years on, these goggle-eyed yellow creatures take on the centre-stage in this origin-story flick with their gibberish blabber and their stock pratfall frolics to amuse us.
Taking the plot away from humans was a bold move on the part of its writers but the skill with which the story holds its ground is laudable. Though the minion antics become repetitive 30 minutes into the film, they are so endearing that it never gets boring. Of course, the bravado of the earlier parts is missing from this tale that relies solely on its non-humans to pull off the impenitent gags. But, it still comes off as a breezy, fuzzy watch.

Tracking their evolution chronologically, the minions take us through their tainted history of losing bosses to strange mishaps. With fewer humans in the film, it is left to Sandra, who lends her voice to super villain Scarlet Overkill, who thrives in bringing forth the desired wickedness. But Overkill is loud and feebly-plotted, lacking Gru's subtlety and panache.

Yet, the writing is nuanced in places as the gags are thoughtfully orchestrated. There is a fleeting President Nixon joke, a Beatles reference (imagery referencing the 60s), props like the inclusion of a 'villain-con' are all put together with verve. The sequence where the minions break into the Beatles' song Revolution is incredible.

At 91 minutes, these tiny yellow blobs steal the show from their human counterparts. With charming elements galore, adorable gibberish talk and winsome screen presence, the film is cuteness overload.