MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU (U)
★★★II
REVIEWS BY DAMON SMITH
ABOUT 30 minutes into this outlandish computer-animated caper, I experienced an unsettling head rush of deja vu, convinced I had already seen these madcap misadventures of adolescent supervillain Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) and his goggle-eyed yellow hench-creatures.
A nagging sense of familiarity pervades every brightly coloured frame of Minions: The Rise Of Gru, the fifth instalment of the Despicable Me saga – the highest-grossing animated franchise of all time.
Trading heavily on the pratfalls and naive tomfoolery of the titular sidekicks, Kyle Balda’s picture, co-directed by Brad Ableson and Jonathan del Val, will add handsomely to the coffers but lacks dramatic necessity.
Scriptwriters Brian Lynch and Matthew Fogel sketch an origin story for gadget guru Dr Nefario (Russell Brand) around a bruising battle between Gru and larcenous rivals, who opine that “evil is for adults, not for tubby little punks who should be at school”.
Broad physical humour, including one minion’s close encounter with the power flush of an aeroplane toilet, elicits gurgles of glee from younger audience members.
Seventies pop culture references are aimed at parents, who might otherwise sneak micro naps between overblown action sequences.
The year is 1976 and Gru has reached the criminally prodigious age of 11 and three quarters. While the minions continue building an underground lair, Gru laments the death of his idol, Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), leader of diabolical dream team the Vicious 6.
Surviving members Belle Bottom (Taraji P Henson), Jean Clawed (JeanClaude Van Damme), Nun-chuck (Lucy Lawless), Svengeance (Dolph Lundgren) and Stronghold (Danny Trejo) interview for a replacement but cruelly dismiss Gru.
In retaliation for the snub, the tyke steals an ancient amulet from the Vicious 6 that can harness the power of the 12 creatures of the Chinese zodiac.
Belle Bottom and her team-mates give chase and minions Bob, Kevin and Stuart take a hasty lesson in selfdefence from a retired kung-fu master turned acupuncturist (Michelle Yeoh).
Minions: The Rise Of Gru delivers breathless entertainment and escapism with casual ease. Visuals are slick and efficient, but Carell’s subdued vocal performance is disappointing.
A flimsy plot springs a leak well before Gru detonates a stink bomb in a packed cinema screening of Jaws.
Steven Spielberg’s great white shark lost its bite after four films. The Despicable Me saga has gone one better but should heed the blood in the water.
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