The Minions have a lark with old Hollywood in the new film, Minions & Monsters. A different tribe of Minions takes the lead in the film, which still leans into their cute yet nefarious nature. In their ongoing, accident-prone quest for a bad guy to lead them, Minions James, Henry, and Ed find themselves apart from the rest on a different monster quest. The Minions land in 1920’s Hollywood and mishap their way into silent film stardom. After the decline of silent film and thus the end of their careers, artistic Minion James follows his dream of making a great monster film. Alongside him, Henry and Ed unleash evil and havoc on a Hollywood studio. The better parts of this movie are the animation and surprisingly, the plot. From the *flip film clip of horse rider* to Max, James’s passionate director mentor, you know Minions & Monsters is showing film history some love. The little yellow menaces are cutely woven in as James, Henry, and Ed search for a film-worthy monster.
A variety of comic scenes ensue, like slapstick Yakety Sax and train hijinks reminiscent of the Marx Brothers film Go West, which help the film deliver some of its good laughs. There are also some duds that didn’t land, according to the kid sitting a few rows back who didn’t appreciate the adult jokes in this family film. In a backdrop of colorful chaos, and despite their cuteness, Minions & Monsters is way more chaotic than cute. Like its predecessors, it relies on themes of friendship, togetherness, caring for others (even in evil), and purpose. But it’s clear why they continue to seek a ‘big boss’. Without the weight of a lead bad guy like Gru, the Minions seem to lose some of their charm, and the plot flails a bit with them left to their own mayhem.
Minions and Monsters in theaters July 1st. I rate this film a (2.5/4) 🍿
