Minions

Minions (2015)

Directed by Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin

Written by Brian Lynch

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Geoffrey Rush

Kevin, Stuart, and Bob are minions in search of a leader for themselves and their friends. After meeting Scarlet Overkill (Bullock) and her husband Herb (Hamm), these three minions become part of her plan to take over the world.

This film spins off the lovable minions first introduced in Despicable Me in 2010. Five years later these yellow goofballs have their own movie. This one was written by Brian Lynch (Hop), and directed by the team of Kyle Balda (The Lorax) and Pierre Coffin (Despicable Me 2). This film features the voice talents of Sandra Bullock (The Proposal), Jon Hamm (The Town), Michael Keaton (Birdman), Allison Janney (The Duff), and Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech).

This is a fun story that keeps things simple and has fun with the wild characters throughout. While the film might lack depth, it’s made up for with the comedy and the unique situations the characters find themselves in. For fans of the Despicable Me films, this should be a treat. The minions retain their adorable innocence while they’re surrounded by a new set of villains, heroes, and an assortment of other oddballs.

One of the major successes of the movie was the ability to present a set of characters without any intelligible dialogue. This is a simple story that works really wonderfully with the premise. This one also has the ability to stand alone, so you don’t need to see the other films to enjoy this one.

The actors doing the voice work on this film must’ve had fun. Nothing in the story can be taken too seriously, but it all works thanks to their nice performances. It’s hard to say much more about a movie that’s so direct and simple. Like Despicable Me, this one does have charm when it comes to the way the characters are presented.

Some of my favorite moments come from the work that Keaton and Janney did with smaller roles in the film. The over-the-top depiction of Scarlet by Bullock is also perfect for this one. Jon Hamm was almost unrecognizable with his zany character depiction in this one. The rest of the voice actors also do great work with this one.

This one looks great from beginning to end. The stylization follows in line with the other films in this series. There are also some moments that feature more unique visuals that play well within the story. For fans of the other movies, this should be a nice trip back to the world that the other films created. The movie also has one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard on an animated feature. Music by The Who, The Kinks, and The Turtles all play well with the story.

If you’re a fan of the other movies featuring the minions, this is one you should make sure to see. I would also suggest this to anyone looking for some lighthearted animated fun. The story isn’t going to impress anyone, but the comedic bits throughout it are wonderful. I would also recommend this one to anyone who enjoys animation in general. I give this one 3.6 out of 5 stars.

Rating: PG

Running Time: 91 Minutes