Minions and Monsters: the long-awaited summer blockbuster installment in the rather famous Minions franchise and prequel to it’s original: Minions (2015). Directed by Pierre Coffin (recognized for directing previous films in the Despicable Me franchise, excluding its 4th part and Rise of Gru) and written by Brian Lynch (known for screenplays such as Hop and The Secret Life of Pets). The film is set in the 1920s, 48 years before Minions (2015), and follows the Minions: primarily James, Ed and Henry as they set out to make their own monster movie in Old Hollywood.
This film delivers exactly what all the promos and taglines advertised: minions, monsters and laugh-out-loud humor. Humor comes in various ways and forms during the runtime of this movie, be it slapstick, dark or even meta at times. The experimentation of various methods of comedy is what makes Minions and Monsters shine out from the rest of its franchise, as it appeals to audiences of all ages. The introduction of our new minions: Henry, James and Ed is also carried out in a consistent way, allowing the audience to delve deep into what each minion is feeling, resulting in consistent character arcs throughout.
Another strength that backs Minions and Monsters up is its references to old movies. From the first frame till the post-credits scene, the film is laden with callbacks to previous popular media, such as ET, The Day The Earth Stood Still and famous movies done by Charlie Chaplin. The whole theater audibly gasped and marveled at the Old Hollywood references which threw them back to their childhood and fostered a sense of nostalgia.
Visually, the film impresses and is beautifully animated throughout. The chase sequences and monster scenes are energetic; combined with a whimsical and retro-esque musical score by John Powell (famous for How To Train Your Dragon, Wicked and Happy Feet) and razor-sharp editing, the film consistently feels entertaining and engaging without leaving you with even a minute of boredom or fatigue.
However, the film often does diverge into many subplots that unfortunately don’t gel together as effectively as it would if the film had a longer runtime. Some plot beats feel rushed and underdeveloped due to its short runtime; however, this is an out-and-out minion extravaganza that will have you holding your stomach in pain from laughter!
