The new Minions movie is finally here, and honestly, I’ve loved these little yellow weirdos ever since the very first Despicable Me teaser trailer. You know the one—the Minion with the cow cup that keeps tipping over? I thought it was the funniest thing in the world. There’s just something about the Minions that always makes me laugh. They’re like a warm hug.
The Despicable Me franchise has definitely had its ups and downs. The highs have been really high, while some of the Minions movies have been a little more forgettable. I also don’t think the last couple of Despicable Me movies have reached the heights of the originals. This one, though, feels fresh because it’s essentially a love letter to Hollywood and filmmaking.
The concept is great: what if the Minions were secretly responsible for the history of Hollywood? Seeing them inserted into iconic movie moments and classic films like Citizen Kane was a blast, especially as someone who spends a lot of time watching movies. Those references never felt forced—they were just fun.
This time around, the story follows James, Henry, and Ed instead of the usual trio of Kevin, Stuart, and Bob. After working in Hollywood for Max (voiced by Christoph Waltz), they decide they want to make their own monster movie. That dream leads them to a mysterious spellbook, the monster Goomi (voiced by Trey Parker), and an island full of creatures that promise to help bring their movie to life. As you’d expect from a Minions adventure, everything spirals into complete chaos before the gang comes together to save the day.
The voice cast is excellent across the board. Pierre Coffin once again proves that nobody does the Minions better, and their hilarious made-up language is still one of the franchise’s greatest strengths. Trey Parker is a lot of fun as Goomi, Jesse Eisenberg gets plenty of laughs as Dort, and the supporting cast—including Allison Janney, Zoey Deutch, Jeff Bridges, and Christoph Waltz—all do solid work. But at the end of the day, you’re here for the Minions, and the movie never loses sight of that.
What I’ve always loved about these characters is that they’re constantly trying to serve the biggest, baddest villain they can find, yet they’re incapable of actually being bad. They have hearts of gold. No matter how hard they try to be evil, they’re always kind, loyal, and willing to help. That’s the joke, but it’s also why they’re so easy to love.
If I had one criticism, it’s the same one I’ve always had with the standalone Minions movies: sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. I actually think the Minions are at their absolute best as supporting characters. In the first two Despicable Me movies, they’re the perfect sidekicks—the Robin to Gru’s Batman, the Scottie Pippen to his Michael Jordan. They steal every scene without carrying the entire movie. A full feature centered almost entirely on Minions can occasionally be a little overwhelming, especially since they’re speaking their own language the whole time. Still, they’re so charming and lovable that they almost get a free pass.
Out of this year’s big animated releases—Toy Story 5, Hoppers, The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, and now Minions—this was probably my least favorite. But that’s not saying it’s a bad movie. I still had a great time. The new Minions are a welcome addition, the Hollywood setting gives the film a unique personality, and the movie is packed with laughs and heartfelt moments.
Kids are going to absolutely love this one, and if you’re a movie fan, you’ll probably appreciate all the classic film references sprinkled throughout. I’ll never stop showing up for a Minions movie. They’re just too lovable not to.
Minions & Monsters = 70/100
