Perfect Unadulterated Fun in Movie Form
The chaotic excitement of ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’
Disclaimer: Includes SPOILERS for ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’
Minions: The Rise of Gru is a perfect, no flaws kind of movie. Have you seen it? Everybody has seen it by now, it was released back in June. I watched it with my husband and I had a blast. I just loved it so much. And it’s not just because I love the Minions. It’s a good origin story, it tells us about Gru and about Dr. Nefario. It shows us how they come to work together.
The movie introduces a set of new characters: The Vicious Six, previously known as The Vicious Seven.
And in a good kid’s movie fashion, they tell you they are the villains and they tell you they are bad, bad to the bone.
And being a good example of a kid’s movie kind of villains, steal some things and destroy some buildings, but all the people seem to come out in one piece. They are not the source of pure evil kind of villains, like Pennywise.
And there is Knuckles, the ex-Vicious Seven member who just wants a friend. That is his whole thing in the story. He wants friends, and for that, he founded Vicious Seven. That is also why he hires mercenaries who turn out not to be very useful or friendly. It’s also the reason he gives Gru a chance to steal with him, so he can have an apprentice and a friend. I think that is a kind of cute storyline, don’t you? Who doesn’t want a friend?
The minions are the same as always, a bunch of chaotic, adorable, little yellow buddies that are extremely loyal to their mini-boss.
Everything they do advances the story and is very on character.
Otto exchanges the zodiac stone (the McGuffin) for a pet rock. Perfect! Otto uses a kid’s bicycle to follow the biker who has the zodiac stone. On point! Kevin, Stuart, and Bob disguise themselves as pilots and flight attendant to hijack a plane to San Francisco. Pure perfection!
Everything they do advances the story, they retrieve the zodiac stone, they learn kung fu so they can rescue Gru, they leave the kung fu training too early and too excited, and they fight alongside their mini-boss. And they make friends, lots of friends.
That’s how they resolve most problems, being themselves
By being the little chaotic, overly excited little yellow fellows we love, and making friends.
These friends will give them the zodiac stone. My husband thought this was too easy, super easy, barely an inconvenience, but wouldn’t you give a cute minion a piece of jewelry they really wanted? I would, in a heartbeat. Also, their friends fight alongside them in the final battle against the Vicious Six.
The end is amazing just the way it is. I know the movie had a different ending for China, I read about it here. But I think the original ending is perfect. Knuckles is alive, Gru is reunited with the minions, the zodiac stone, and the Vicious Six are taken into custody.
The casting is on point!
I was so excited when I saw that Michele Yeoh was in this movie! And can you think of a more fitting casting than Van Damme as Jean Clawed, Lucy Lawless as Nun-Chuck, Dolph Lundgren as Svengeance, and Taraj Henson as Belle Bottom?
My last comment about this movie is that it follows Stephen King’s advice in his book On Writing:
Tell the truth.
This movie tells the truth, it doesn’t force the character into uncharacteristic actions. Even when Gru ditches the Minions because he thinks he will be joining the Vicious Six the movie is telling the truth, it’s a bit heartbreaking, but it’s something Gru would do.
Also following Stephen King’s advice the movie doesn’t include information and things that don’t advance or are useful to the story. I may be biased, but for me, this movie was pure joy and one of the best things I’ve seen this year. It made me genuinely happy.
And lastly, who is your favorite Minion?
