Minions & Monsters Review

Directed By: Pierre Coffin
Written By: Brian Lynch and Pierre Coffin
Runtime: 90 minutes
MPA Rating: PG rating for action, rude humor, and language

Pierre Coffin – James, Henry, Ed, Dick, and the Minions
Trey Parker – Goomi
Allison Janney – Olivia
Christoph Waltz – Max
Jesse Eisenberg – Dort
Jeff Bridges – Frank and Elwood Bright
Zoey Deutch – Debbie
Bobby Moynihan – Phillips
Phil LaMarr – Howard

The fan-favorite Minions of Despicable Me return in their latest big-screen adventure, Minions & Monsters. Another prequel of sorts, the new movie rewinds the clock as the Minions become unlikely heroes in the Golden Age of Hollywood. However, despite some fun references and alternative history integrating the Minions into classic cinema, Minions & Monsters fails from a narrative standpoint due to its slapdash, random, and rather unfunny plot.

Expanding upon the earlier backstory of the pill-shaped creatures, Minions & Monsters depicts another tribe of creatures seeking to serve their most despicable, villainous boss. Their servitude to a dimwitted, destructive cyclops fails because of the well-meaning antics of the artistically inclined Minion, James (Coffin, who once again voices all of the Minions).

Some years later, the Minions inexplicably find themselves chasing a bandit, who turns out to be an actor in a silent movie for director Max (Waltz). Recognizing the Minions’ comedic talent, twin studio heads Frank and Elwood Bright (Bridges) charge Max with recruiting the Minions as their next big stars, making the creatures into breakout movie stars.

Unfortunately, the Minions’ stardom comes crashing down with the advent of sound in movies. The Minions branch off, with Dick leading the rest of the group to find their next Big Boss, believing the overzealous science fiction fan, Dort (Eisenberg), who appears to dress as an alien robot, to be the next candidate.

Meanwhile, James isn’t ready to give up his Hollywood dreams, wanting to put his artistic talents to good use, as he’s inspired to tell the Minions’ story in a “cool monster movie.” However, that means finding a cool monster, which James and his best friends, Henry and the lone mute Minion Ed, summon in the form of the diminutive Eldritch abomination Goomi (Parker). However, while James takes his craft seriously, Goomi’s intentions are less honorable, which spells trouble for the lovable banana-loving mischief-makers.

Minions & Monsters initially shows promise in breaking the chain of execrable Despicable Me sequels and spinoffs. Putting the Minions in early-stage Hollywood provides a fun setting for the characters, and the period references and gags provide brief amusement. Bridges is also clearly having fun voicing a dual role of the Elwood siblings, an amusing reference to old-timey studio heads.

Unfortunately, Minions & Monsters can’t really pick a lane, and it mashes three disparate plots into one, and none of them are particularly funny. Pierre Coffin positions James as the emotional heart of the story, setting him up as the odd man out among his brethren. Even Max comes to bond with the Minions and James, recognizing the latter’s artistic vision.

Unfortunately, those rare moments of a far better movie are just buried under the franchise’s typical vapid, nonsensical dross. The subplot introduces the genuine monsters, Goomi and his cohorts, but they appear displaced from a fantasy-themed tabletop game storyline. The plot poorly integrates the genuine monsters into James’ underdog story arc to overcome the odds and bring his cinematic masterpiece.

The other subplot involves the Minions palling up with the unlikely villain, Dort, which significantly drags the plot with its utter randomness. Yes, it’s a Minions movie, so anachronisms are expected, even in a period storyline. However, gags like Dort’s rather contemporary-voiced roommate don’t fit the time period. Dort purports to start an invasion to take over the world, but his plans are delayed when he meets and falls in love with a Suffragette, Debbie (Deutch).

This is all well and good, but the Dort subplot works like annoying, nonsensical filler, replete with a cavalcade of unfunny, lowest-common-denominator jokes. Even the inclusion of Try Parker portraying a comedic Cthulhu homage who sounds like a lispy version of Eric Cartman, on paper, sounds utterly spectacularly hilarious, but the execution fails to gain any traction. Everything that unfolds after the Minions’ movie stardom crashes and burns appear like a series of random, incoherent events that lack any sort of narrative cohesion.

Some credit shall be due to Coffin and Illumination’s animators. Their animation looks incredibly crisp, and the old Hollywood setting, plus some amusing footage splicing the Minions into classic, old-timey movie reels, provides some decent amusement. Unfortunately, Minions & Monsters‘ inane script detracts from any potential for a stronger experience.

Now, all that aside, the general wackiness and slapstick antics will surely entertain kids for an hour-and-a-half. Some cinephile adults and parents might also be entertained by all the classic movie references. Regardless, Minions & Monsters, despite some brief flashes of momentary quality, constantly comes crashing down.

Where To Watch Minions & Monsters

Minions & Monsters is now playing exclusively in theaters. Ticket and showtime information is available at the movie’s website.

4.0

The final score: review Poor

The 411

Between the old Hollywood setting and some cute references to classic cinema, Minions & Monsters shows genuine flashes of a far better motion picture. Unfortunately, the multitude of disparate subplots and characters drags down the more emotionally compelling story of James being the artistic black sheep in his tribe who wants to create a cinematic masterpiece. Minions & Monsters features a cavalcade of jokes, wackiness, and general silliness, but none of it is particularly funny or entertaining, coming off more as boringly vapid, random, and inane.