Review: “Minions”

Those scrappy cartoons take center stage.

With Minions, we may all be exposed to what an Oompa Loompa movie would be like. The little Orange colored helpers from Willy Wonka seemingly spoke primarily in song, and had a backstory that even their master, Wonka himself, was mum and snarky about. More from what isn’t told and shown about them than what is, we can draw some amazing tales on their origins. Personally, I like to think they were created in a laboratory JUST to assist Wonka. Interestingly, this is what I thought was the background tale of the Minions from Despicable Me. That they were bred to serve Gru.

The prequel Minions completely crashes that idea, in both disappointing and surprisingly satisfying ways. It’s a silly and thin concept, but done in such a respectably earnest and vastly enjoyable manner. It’s all very bonkers, more so than that Spongebob movie from earlier this year. Where that was trying to emulate a psychedelic trip, Minions was simply born from one. Actually, multiple ones is more likely.

From the early days of Earth, back before fish came out of the sea and sprouted legs — shown in a wonderful Evolutionary sequence — the Minions have looked to serve the biggest and baddest creature they could find. It’s never explained why they want to do this, just expressed that they feel compelled to. Much like the recent Inside Out, questions on free will and purpose arise. This will be the only time in the film that existential questions or depth of any kind beyond the visual will crop up, so don’t worry, people — it matters not except that it just is. That’s Minions in a nutshell. JUST IS. It’s very much itself, and proud of that distinction.

A group of Minions, with names like Kevin and Bob, search the world for a master to serve which, in turn, will save their depressed species. They come across many happy go lucky and sinister villains in a convention somewhere in Orlando circa late 1960s, which leads them from one set piece to another for scrapes and goofs, all very whimsical. The Minions, despite their resemblance in spirit to Lemmings, are incredibly resilient and capable. Shockingly so, even. They never seem to die, they never seem to breed, but they always seem to escape dangerous situations, usually while screaming. If there is a higher power in the universe of this franchise, he or she has a crazy sense of humor.

Whatever depth is lacking in the premise, the animation makes up for it in kind. There are some spectacular sequences, rich in sense of space and scale of objects, which lends itself perfectly for 3D. I’d be willing to bet they look great in 2D as well. For a movie that could’ve easily been made like a junk bin direct to DVD flick, Minions doesn’t quite go above and beyond, but does reach far enough and high enough to be exceptional. Not heart warming, but charming. Not wise, but loopy. Would the Oompa Loompa’s be proud?

3 / 5