 "Minions")
Despicable Me was a blockbuster animation film with a twisted protagonist who is aided in his endeavors by strange looking sidekicks. Those “baldy, jaundiced” sidekicks whose existence is dependent upon serving the meanest and most evil master, return in a prequel to Despicable Me. Minions is their story.
The bumbling, gibberish spouting, yellow creatures who have been searching for that vilest of masters since T-rex walked this earth have been a huge hit with kids (and adults) and like all good businessmen, the studio bosses decided that a film based entirely on these Minions might do the bank balance some good. They were right of course, since this film is already a big hit but does it work? Yes and no.
The film starts brilliantly with a very intelligent and extremely funny prologue (with a superb narration by Geoffrey Rush) that traces their sad quest for a Master in which they ensure that T-rex meets his end, Dracula evaporates and Napoleon gets a mighty kick on his backside. They end up in Antarctica and try to stay busy, even playing Football (complete with Minion cheerleaders) but the spark in their lives, the purpose is missing. Their sorry existence without a Master prompts Kevin to go searching for a suitably evil master in other parts of the world. Stuart, the guitarist and Bob, the most enthusiastic of all minions join him on this journey.
The quest ends with Scarlet Overkill at Villain Con where Kevin, Stuart and Bob beat other contenders to act as Scarlet’s henchmen. This is when the film transforms from absurdly funny to plain absurd and even the cuteness of the minions isn’t able to salvage it.
Perhaps it is the character of Scarlet Overkill or perhaps it is Sandra Bullock’s voice-over that makes the film lose its fizz. Scarlet lackedGru’s depth and is the weak point of this film. Instead of the loosely created Scarlet, the time travelling scientist Professor Flux at Villain Con would have been a better option. It is still a film which has very well thought out and well-timed funny moments but the frontloading of those moments turns the remainder of the film into a bit of a drag. But it is these intelligent moments that might make this film funnier for adults rather than kids who would be the main market for an animation film like this one.
This film seeks to bank solely on the cuteness of the minions who remain one of animation films’ most original and funny creations ever but it lacks additional devices to keep the viewer engaged.
Minions was fun in part and high on cuteness, but it was still, an uneven film.
Two-and-half on five.
