We all know the Minions as Super Villain, turned super Dad, Gru’s henchmen in the Despicable Me films. The bright yellow, tic-tac shaped gibberish speaking mini men were an instant hit with audiences young and old. With Minion fever taking hold a solo outing was quickly planned but just where did the Minions come from? For all those who ponder their origins, thankfully their first feature film is in fact a prequel that tells it all. With A-lister names such as Sandra Bullock and Michael Keaton, quickly announced to join our yellow crew such, could this film really live up to its impressive original outings?
A lot was riding on Minions to surpass or at least match Despicable for its laughs and feel good energy. Thankfully, those cheeky monkeys from Illumination Entertainment have pulled out all the stops with a worthy and hilarious solo film.
The true origins of the Minions is a strange and interesting tale indeed. Not just their film backstory but animated formations. When Illumination Entertainment originally wrote the Despicable screenplay, they wrote in small men as Gru’s comedic henchman. Wanting to keep production costs on their first feature film low, they instead created small oval shaped creatures that would be easy to animate. That decision spawned a worldwide phenomenon and the Minions were born. With Despicable Me director Pierre Coffin, (who also voices all the Minions) and Kyle Balda at the helm, Minions is very much in the same style as the originals.
The decision to make the film a prequel works on different level. A same time spinoff would interrupt the current time line of the Despicable films and you would wonder why the minions are not with Gru and the girls. The prequel set up also brings the minions as the centre of their own franchise and lets their own brand of chaos shine through.
As Despicable Me was a hit with adults and children alike, it is only expected that the film is once again layered with in-jokes and references for its older viewers. Just from the Minions bare bottoms, you know this is a film not afraid to be cheeky yet still suitable for its youngest fans. There are also many of the references are seen once the films setting hits London. From the Minions interrupting the fab four’s walk across Abbey Road to Bob pulling a very famous sword from a stone which is all very rambunctious.
The film has brilliantly overcome one of its major obstacles in the main character's language barrier. Although their humorous brand of gobbledygook is appealing to the ear it could have easily stunted their feature films narrative progression. Thankfully, the film makers have mixed their language into the films dialogue and also used an appealing voice over to tell their history, (provided by Geoffrey Rush). Tone, action and expression, instead, are used to convey the minion’s thoughts where their language cannot.
Hamm voices Overkill’s oddball husband Herb, while Janney and Keaton voice the crime family that takes the minions to Villain-Con, (this needs to be a thing). Jennifer Saunders adds this film to her already impressive vocal CV. From Shrek 2 and Coroline here she plays Queen Elizabeth II as British but ballsy when her crown is threatened by Overkill.
The absence of Gru and his adopted daughters means the film is slightly lacking in central heart but that in no way detracts from the sheer riot that Minions has pulled out of the bag. A funny and entertaining prequel to the Despicable Me franchise. The film acts as a worthy standalone that also neatly fits in to the original films story.
With Despicable Me 3 and new film The Secret Life of Pets on the way it feels like there is much more to come from the studio.
And, hopefully more Minions.