Movie Review: ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ – Infinitely irritating

It’s been five years since the Minions were on the big screen, though their absence has not been felt. In terms of sheer merchandise the yellow menaces and in blue denim are inescapable, something that’s noted by their young employer Gru in this ‘70s set prequel.

Whether it’s being denied a restful sleep, or wandering through his own home without nuisance, Gru is at the mercy of his underlings. Their constant babble speak and recklessness makes things untenable, with Gru venturing out to bigger and better supervillainy. Naturally, the minions will do their very best to prove their worth and earn their keep at their master’s side.

That’s as close as one can get to describing the story of Minions: The Rise of Gru, without touching on the film’s several subplots and misadventures that happen throughout its runtime. The mischievous minions pretty much wreak havoc anywhere they go, which makes for an unfocused film, but a diverse collection of comedic bits. I say diverse, but that only goes so far when each joke includes a violent yellow blob with the mind of a child.

I’ve never been a fan of the minions as characters, so watching an hour and a half devoted to their annoying antics is not my idea of a pleasant time at the cinema. There’s plenty in the film outside of the minions, like the cabal of supervillains Gru dreams of joining, and the film revels in its retro setting for some clever gags. For what it’s worth, the movie managed to make me laugh on a number of occasions, despite its irritating main characters, and as always, the animation itself is impressive, delivering on vibrant fast-paced action.

If you like the minions, I assume you will like this movie. As someone who does not, their very presence in a film makes it nigh unbearable, and I cherished each moment they were off screen.

Rating: Catch It On Cable