The way I feel about the new Minions movie is the way I've felt about all of the Despicable Me films... they're a good hour and a half distraction, but beyond that, not really anything long-lasting. I saw the first movie and I don't remember much about it other than the fact that I remember thinking it had a great premise that I didn't feel was executed as well as it could've been. That, and, of course, the Minions were the best part. I think I saw the second film, but I honestly don't even remember. Again, it was cute-ish and forgettable. So, I had a feeling in the back of my mind that the Minions movie would follow suit. However, the trailer for the movie made me laugh harder than the movie it was attached to, so I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. Well, my friends, it is yet another Despicable Me quality film. There's nothing of substance. There's nothing that really stands out as memorable. But it's not a bad movie. It's just going to be forgotten as soon as it's over.
What I was kinda hoping would happen is that Universal grew a pair of balls and did an entire Minions movie without any human beings or dialogue (at least in English). I was hoping they'd go the Wall-E route and give us more of a goofy, physical comedy that's more clever because they have to do it without any characters providing exposition. However, this was not the case. (It's also not a reason I didn't love the movie, it's just something I'd hoped would be done.) So, we get the history of the Minions... lovable little yellow, pill-shaped entities born solely to serve the most evil creatures on the planet. After giving us their prior history and finally their exile into hopelessness. Three of the Minions (Kevin, Stuart, and Bob) decide to leave their icy cave in search of a new master to serve. Their voyage leads them to 1968 New York in which they discover the greatest living super villain-- Scarlett Overkill (Sandra Bullock) and her husband Herb (John Hamm). She gives them each the task of stealing the crown from the Queen of England so that she can take over London and rule on her own. When they (adorably) screw up, they wind up making an enemy of Scarlett herself. There's also the side plot of the rest of the minions making their way to England.
There's absolutely nothing of substance in this film... and sometimes that is okay to do. Leave the substance to Pixar... sometimes all we want is a good laugh. I did wonder if the novelty of the Minions was going to wear off after awhile or if the filmmakers would find new and clever scenarios to put them into. Well, I guess the answer is both. It's fun, but it does get a little old. It's silly, but sometimes it's a little too silly. It's funny, but the laughs are sparse. It's the epitome of the "distraction film". A goofy little film to take you out of the dregs of day to day life in order to get you to smile and giggle every once in a while until its credits run.
The film did have the potential to be a very clever slapstick, almost silent, comedy that both children and adults could roll on the floor laughing. However, they went with another standard Despicable Me plotline that never escapes mediocrity. It's actually a little more difficult to do it that way because no matter what "life lessons" these Minions learn about how wrong it is to serve evil people... they still wind up with Gru and essentially learn absolutely nothing. That's the problem with prequels. You'll never truly be convinced that you're watching a great movie, but it will make you chuckle more than a few times. It's not the greatest film of the summer, but it's certainly not the best (Inside Out). But let's face it... what's going to be?
B-
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