MINIONS - review

MINIONS
Director: Kyle Balda & Pierre Coffin
Cast: Pierre Coffin, Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Geoffrey Rush, Jennifer Saunders, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Steve Coogan

My sincerest apologies for being behind the times with getting this review out. I have been busy sunning myself in far north Queensland for the wedding of a dear friend and did not ahev the access to the interwebs that I thought I would have. The school holidays are all but over now, but if you still have time over the weekend to get out with the kiddies, or want something to do in the freakish cold snap that's happening in the southern part of the country - get amongst it I say!

Kevin, Stuart and Bob are off on atheir biggest adventure yet

image via Universal Studios

MINIONS was one of the most highly anticipated school holiday films for mid-year 2015, and in my opinion didn't disappoint. DESPICABLE ME 2 was funnier than the first installment because those lovable little yellow guys got more screen time, so it stands to reason that spin-off focussing solely on the minions would be a huge hit and while it hasn't been smashing any box office records, it has been a hit with children and adults alike.

I scooted off pre-holidays with LahLah and Team B to catch this film before the hoards of kiddies managed to get in and I'm sure glad I did - my local has been playing the film to sold out sessions all through the holidays and rightly so I say. I mean it's 91 minutes of miniony adorableness, their distinctive design, their individual personalities, their non-sensical and yet somehow understandable language, voiced by the incredibly talented Pierre Coffin, what's not to love?

As if you wouldn't pick up these adorable hitchikers!

image via Universal Studios

I have to be honest, I was excited, but sceptical about this film. Would their adorableness run out in a full feature about them? Would I get tired of not knowing exactly what the hell they were talking about? Would these comdeic scene-stealers leave me bored and disappointed? Luckily screen write Brian Lynch has managed to keep up the comic momentum of these little yellow dudes for almost the full 91 minutes. Instead of trying to fill the film with emotional depth and meaning, Lynch just sets them loose for 91 minutes of slapstick comedy gold.

The Minions sole purpose in life is to serve the biggest, baddest, evil genius around, the only trouble is, they aren't very good at keeping the biggest, baddest, evil geniuses around for very long. Without a boss, our little yellow buddies lose their drive, they have no purpose and become depressed. Never fear, Kevin has a plan. He's going to go and find his family a new boss, and so with the help of Stuart and Bob, Keving embarks on the greatest journey any minion has ever been on. They travel the world and eventually end up in Orlando at a secret villian conference aptly named "Villain-Con". There they meet their new boss, Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock), the world's first female super-villain.

BANANA!!!
image via universal studios

Overkill sends them on their first mission, which (to no ones surprise) goes belly up. Disaster after hilarious disaster sees them battling it out with Overkill to save the United Kingdom. The slapstick comedy keeps the pace moving throughout the film, and only a few times did I think to myself "hmmm, I wonder how much longer it goes for?".

There's not as much subtle adult humor in MINIONS as there is in some other animated motion pictures, but it is still enjoyable for all you mums, dads, aunties and babysitters out there looking for something to keep the kids occupied in the second week of the holidays. The little ones will get plenty of laughs out of the glorious slapstick comedy. Maybe avoid the cheap Tuesday crowds, it's pretty good value at 20-something dollars.

3.5 out of 5

xoxo
The Blonde Bombshel