The Minions franchise returns with Minions & Monsters, the seventh entry and third spin-off movie, directed by Pierre Coffin. The film opens with the yellow, overall-clad creatures traveling back to 1920s Hollywood, where they become silent film stars. This premise offers clever nods to classic cinema, including references to Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Georges Méliès. However, the film soon abandons its innovative ideas for repetitive chaos, according to a review.
Plot and Premise
The story follows a tribe of Minions searching for a new despicable boss, as in 2015's Minions. This time, they crash into the Bright Brothers' studio lot in late 1920s Los Angeles, at the height of the silent era. Directed by Max (voiced by Christoph Waltz) and controlled by the Bright Brothers (both voiced by Jeff Bridges), the Minions excel in physical comedy. But when sound technology arrives, they are fired for their inability to speak English.
Missed Potential
The film introduces a new Minion protagonist, James, who aspires to make a monster movie, creating tension with his friend Henry. This attempt to invest the Minions with pathos and ego is a first for the franchise. However, the second and third acts become cluttered with extraneous characters and absurd situations, including an ancient spell book, a robot, and references to the women's rights movement. The narrative fails to cohere, and the Minions revert to their old, gibberish-filled ways.
Lack of Emotional Resonance
The review notes that the film's core issue is its lack of emotional resonance. Despite an opening that winks at the Minions' place in Hollywood history, the movie reaches no insight and teaches no lessons. By the end, the Minions save the day as heroes, contradicting their original purpose as villainous henchmen. Co-writer Cinco Paul has publicly disavowed the franchise's idea of the Minions as an immortal nomadic tribe, indicating a lack of conviction.
Commercial Success Over Art
Director Pierre Coffin has spoken about the toll commercial demand has taken on his investment in the Minions. The franchise, which began as part of Despicable Me, has become the highest-grossing animated franchise of all time, largely due to the Minions' viral success. The review concludes that while the Minions once served Gru's far-flung dreams, they now primarily serve Illumination's profit margins.
Minions & Monsters is out in Australian cinemas now and will be released in the UK and US on 1 July.
