Review of 'Minions: The Rise of Gru'

2nd film in the 'Minions' series

I was so much looking forward to seeing this sequel to 2015's quite funny Minions movie featuring the loveable yellow pill-shaped creatures from the “Despicable Me” franchise. Sadly, though slightly amusing, it just did not have a huge amount of the comedic mayhem of the first film preferring instead to concentrate on, puff!, story!

At the end of the first film the Minions have finally found someone who will take them in as his assistant: A young Gru (voiced by Steve Carell). In “Rise of Gru” we learn that Gru is keen to join the Vicious 6: A group of six supervillains who have recently double-crossed the founding member of the group, Wild Knuckles, after he obtained the Zodiac Stone which holds mysterious powers. When interviewing for the position the young Gru is immediately dismissed as being too immature but manages to steal the stone from the group as he leaves. Having fled the scene and passing the stone over to the minion Otto, Gru learns when Otto returns that he has traded the stone for a rather cute pet rock. The Vicious 6 kidnap Gru and threaten to kill him after 48 hours if the stone is not returned to them in San Francisco by the minions. Cue action.

Yes, copious amount of story leaving little space for the minions to demonstrate too much mayhem. There are lots of fun moments but they can largely be seen in the trailer though there is, my companion noted, a fascination with showing bums in this film for some reason (Gru, minions, etc). The action is quite fun and the film is, of course, quite silly but it is weighted down by the plot and the short running time does not do anyone any favours. I found that even at under and hour and a half I still found my attention waning towards the end. It still looks great and demonstrates huge imagination on the part of the film-makers in coming up with bizarre situations and contraptions. Perhaps it is just not as fresh and new any more?

It was nice to have a cameo voice-over by Michelle Yoeh as Master Chow who undertakes training the hapless Kevin, Bob and Stuart in karate. Similarly, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, Alan Arkin, Taraji P. Henson, and Lucy Lawless provide voices for the Vicious 6. But despite this great list of actors they can't really save “Rise of Gru”.

Fun, but not as fun as the original. Rise of Gru entertains but is easily forgotten.

Rating: “It is OK but I have some issues”

Review Date: 2022-07-31

Directed by: Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson and Jonathan del Val

Studio: Universal Pictures

Year: 2022

Length: 87 minutes

Genre: Action/Adventure

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5113044/

• Despicable Me 3 (2017)