Shadows on the Wall | Minions & Monsters

Minions & Monsters

Review by Rich Cline | MUST SEE

dir Pierre Coffin
scr Pierre Coffin, Brian Lynch
prd Christopher Meledandri, Bill Ryan
voices Pierre Coffin, Allison Janney, Trey Parker, Christoph Waltz, Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch, Jeff Bridges, Bobby Moynihan, Phil LaMarr, George Lucas
release US/UK 1.Jul.26
26/France Illumination 1h30

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With a nonstop barrage of blissfully silly gags, these delightful yellow mischief-makers take a playful romp through cinema history. Sharply directed, cowritten and voiced by Pierre Coffin, this is a rare animated action comedy that keeps the audience laughing almost continuously from the opening logo well into the closing credits. Even more sharply engaging than previous minions adventures, this is an exuberant explosion of pure joy.

After serving a variety of evil villains, the minions (all voiced by Coffin) are fed up with troublemaking cohort James and his chucklehead pal Henry. Then in 1920s Hollywood, they start working for sibling moguls (Bridges) alongside director Max (Waltz). And James wants to make his own movies using a stolen book of incantations to provide some monster mayhem. The first creature is the rather unimpressive Goomi (Parker), but his friends (Moynihan and LaMarr) are scarier. They also want to eat humanity. Meanwhile, awkward robotic alien Dort (Eisenberg) has his own plan for global domination.

Overflowing with the minions' exuberant goofiness, it's surprising how much is going on under the surface, including constant nods to films throughout a century of moviemaking. It's unusual that an animation studio has the nerve to so deliberately target adults with such niche humour, and there's a sophistication in the way the industry is satirised that gives everything an extra kick. Through everything, it's impossible to stop giggling at the more ridiculous nuttiness, including several outrageously scatological gags that will delight the kids, as well as the child in all of us.

Four new minions take the spotlight here, with the friendship between James and Henry providing the plot's lovely, light-handed throughline. Working with them is non-speaking pal Ed, while their self-important leader Dick gets increasingly befuddled. The character shades are astonishing, considering that the dialog is largely gibberish. But Coffin's voicework and the seriously talented animators make these characters spring to vivid life, and surprising levels of wondrous detail fill each frame.

It's also refreshing that the script avoids pushing a message beyond the transcendent wonder of having an unconditional partner in crime who accompanies you through life. These kinds of friends don't need big vocabularies to express their affection and support. And this comes through inventively amid the cacophony of shenanigans. Indeed, there is so much happening on-screen that this will require multiple viewings. Happy film fans may want to watch it on a loop.

themes, violence 21.Jun.26 aff

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