Cert – U, Run-time – 1 hour 30 minutes, Directors – Pierre Coffin, Patrick Delage
1920s Hollywood, the Minions (Pierre Coffin) arrive and quickly become big stars, but with the arrival of sound a monster movie idea could be the thing to help them, until it breaks beyond the studio.
Illumination has been criticised almost since its debut feature, Despicable Me, 16 years ago of playing into convention. Overfamiliar animation style, safe jokes and a cycle of ideas that appeals more to the younger members of the crowd. Even for me, having fond a general liking for their films, it comes as a surprise that the third main outing for their Minion mascots, Minions And Monsters, is as cine-literate as it is. Within minutes of crashing into 1920s Hollywood, in search of a new big boss, we’ve seen a quick succession of references to Chaplin, Lloyd and Keaton.
References to early and genre cinema are scattered throughout this story which sees the Minions (voiced by creator Pierre Coffin) taking over Hollywood. But, when sound arrives and noone can understand them it’s up to leads James and Henry to use the former’s creativity and storytelling skills to make a monster movie that could save them all, if it doesn’t backfire and threaten to destroy the world.
As the story unfolds we hear voiceover from Allison Janney as a movie museum tour guide, explaining to a group of tourists who James and Henry are. It’s this strand that contrasts with the Looney Tunes-style slapstick of the central yellow characters as the tone almost seems to talk down to the younger audience members. Not quite patronising, but still in a way that feels almost uneasy for everyone else, especially in comparison to the simplicity and easy-going nature of the more upfront antics. We’re trusted to understand Minionese for stretches of time, the actions and gestures speak for themselves, what’s being said isn’t important. So, when narration is at the fore why does the film feel as if it’s talking down, or just needing to explain?
The same feeling doesn’t come with other English-speaking characters such as Jesse Eisenberg’s Dort – claiming to be an alien robot seeking a team to help him destroy Earth. A group of Minions follow him as their new evil leader and while amusing there’s a slightly sketch-like feel to some of the sequences as they never have the same push as the direct monster movie ventures of James, Henry and Ed, a Minion who communicates with sign-language. It’s with them that the film has the most joy, and chaos. There’s slapstick elsewhere, and a good number of chuckles throughout the quick 90-minute run-time, but particularly in scenes that lean most into the main titular action.
Set-pieces and action sequences allow for both the biggest scales and most laughs. An out-of-control train chase is packed with gags and silliness, while the climactic battle, and its Star Wars references, provide plenty of giggles with just how much happens. Whilst Minions explosively attack one dressed as a clown charges forward in true golden age cartoon style firing plastic guns displaying tiny banners that read ‘Pew!’ from the barrels.
From the opening montage putting the world-famous characters into some of the earliest pieces of cinematic footage it’s clear that something different is happening here compared to their previous two outings. And once things get going and the cineliteracy takes the stage, alongside the true slapstick silliness that can come with the characters, the more direct moments that embrace the humour and allow things to pan out rather than be unnecessarily explained create plenty of chuckles and may even bring some people round on the Minions, even if just this once.
While side-plots might feel slightly sketch-like there’s plenty of amusement in the slapstick and cine-literacy of Minions And Monsters monster movie core that keeps the laughs coming, and brings something different to this franchise.
Just A Little Bit Random 