MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU, US, 2022. Voices of: Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Taraji P Henson, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michelle Yeoh, Dolph Lundgren, Lucy Lawless, Danny Trejo, Alan Arkin, Julie Andrews, Russell Brand, RZA. Directed by Kyle Balda. 89 minutes. Rated PG (Mild themes and animated violence).
Everybody seems to love the Minions. And for young audiences, the Minions seem always to have been around. In fact, this is the fifth screen appearance. Audiences have warmed over the years to these yellow creatures, one eyed, two eyed, and their muffled words and sounds in communication (Pierre Coffin has been voicing them from the start.) Even though they get entangled with that arch would-be criminal, Gru, they still seem to be likeable, even lovable.
But, at times, they are overwhelmed by the presence of Gru. And while they appear first in the title, this really is a film about Gru himself. We already know a lot about him, even about his interactions with his mother (voiced over the years by, of all people, Julie Andrews). He has wanted to be an arch-criminal and has been involved in many a crime, earning his nickname (introducing this word to many younger audiences who would not normally be using it), Despicable.
If the characters of the Marvel Universe can have origin stories, then why not an origin story for Gru? We meet him at school where he exhibits moments of deceptive charm, but that is all a cover as he has no hesitation in declaring that when he grows up he wants to be a great criminal. And opportunities come his way, even at this young age.
It would seem that the master criminals in the world of the Minions and Gru, are The Vicious 6. Younger audiences like extraordinary and colourful villains – and the adult audience might enjoy these: all with funny names, like Belle Bottom (Hanson), with action stars Lundgren (Svengeance) and Van Damme (nicely called Jean-Clawed), always rough movie villain, Trejo (Stronghold) and, of all characters, a vicious nun, appropriately named Nunchuk (television warrior Lawless). And they are led by the elderly Wild Knuckles, voiced by a welcome Arkin.
Carell has been voicing Gru for 10 years – master of the funny voices, and extending his range to the schoolboy-aged Gru.
The young audience will enjoy the visuals of these characters, their criminal behaviour, Belle Bottom masterminding a revolution against Wild Knuckles. The adult audiences will enjoy the zany goings-on. Gru idolises Wild Knuckles and joins with him after he has been ousted from the Vicious 6, so plenty of activities and action. While Knuckles might be getting old and being one-upped by the other Vicious 5, he is always shrewd, setting himself up as an icon for Gru.
And, always there, the Minions, even receiving martial arts lessons from Master Chow, voiced by veteran Yeoh.
So, it looks as though there is something for everyone. It is pretty hectic, lots of colour, lots of noise, lots of action, non-stop really. Certainly no nodding off by any of the youngsters, no time for being bored.
Universal
Released 23 June 2022
Image: (from left) Belle Bottom (Taraji P Henson), Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), Jean Clawed (Jean-Claude Van Damme), Svengeance (Dolph Lundgren) and Nunchuck (Lucy Lawless) in Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, directed by Kyle Balda.
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