If anyone is keeping track, this is a prequel to the Despicable Me films but a sequel to 2015’s Minions, making it the fifth film in the franchise. It’s still a prequel because Gru is a school kid, but turning out to be a villainous prodigy, hence the title – Minions: The Rise of Gru.
Set in 1976 San Francisco, the film depicts how a bunch of dimwit minions get recruited by Gru (Steve Carell) as his henchmen. But before that, an opening montage pays homage to Bond films, with a heist perpetrated by a supervillain group calling themselves the Vicious 6. An ancient Chinese artifact is stolen, but one that grants world domination to the wielder. Even with so much power, what the Vicious 6 didn’t count on, is a meddling little 11-year-old brat who would prove to be their worst nightmare.
While the nonstop medley of gags will fly past most kids watching this film, adults will get a kick out it, more so with the names of characters and the voice actors involved. Jean-Claude Van Damme is Jean Clawed, Lucy Lawless is a nun called Nunchuck, Dolph Lundgren is a Swedish roller-skater called Svengeance, to name a few. Then there’s the throwback to 70s era pop culture from Blaxploitation to Evel Knievel and Bruce Lee. Soundtrack from Diana Ross, The Carpenters, St. Vincent, Rolling Stones, and it rolls on. All this culminates towards a final act reserved for extended fight and chase sequences, that even if you have somehow missed in a ton of superhero films of the last decade, shows signs of ageing and been done before. Inevitably, the target audience is kids. While the film does a lot to grab their attention, albeit including bare bottom Minions, the ending is forgettable.
If Carell and his posse of gibberish speaking Minions are the only reason for returning to watch this film, then kids as well as their chaperones are in for a ride. Gru’s delightfully evil genius, matched only by the stupidity of his ultra-cute Minions is always a treat to watch, and hear. The voice actors this time, a plethora including Julie Andrews, Michelle Yeoh, Russell Brand and Alan Arkin, are the extra toppings that altogether will green light more adventures for our despicable supervillain. Gru has risen.
