The Minions' latest film, "Minions & Monsters," which is the seventh entry in the franchise, makes them the stars, charting their rise and fall in early Hollywood. Directed and co-written by Pierre Coffin, the movie begins by inserting the Minions "Zelig-style" into classic cinematic footage and showcases their accidental entry into the film industry, where they become silent film sensations under the direction of Max, voiced by Christoph Waltz. Their success is short-lived, however, as their unintelligible language means they cannot transition to talkies, leading to their cinematic careers ending abruptly.
The film's first half is praised for its clever and sophisticated satirical humor, featuring numerous visual gags and Easter eggs that cinephiles will appreciate, including homages to Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and Harold Lloyd. The narrative explores the exhilaration of early moviemaking, with the Minions becoming overnight stars. The movie also features a framing device with an enthusiastic museum guide, voiced by Allison Janney, who explains the Minions' impact on film history, and includes cameos from figures like George Lucas.
Following their silent film careers, Minions James and Henry (both voiced by Coffin) attempt to become directors, aiming to make a monster movie using real monsters. Their initial attempt to summon a fearsome creature results in the diminutive Goomi, voiced by Trey Parker, who then helps them find more substantial monsters like Phillips (Bobby Moynihan) and Howard (Phil LaMarr). This shift introduces a "monsters" element, which some critics suggest overstuffs the film and degenerates into the freneticism common in animated films for children. A subplot involves an alien robot, voiced by Jesse Eisenberg, who falls for a suffragette, voiced by Zoey Deutch.
Despite some critics feeling the film becomes overstuffed and loses momentum in its second half, it is considered by many to be a creative high point for the franchise. The movie references a wide array of classic films, from "Casablanca" to "Citizen Kane" and "The Blob." The film, rated PG and running 90 minutes, was released on July 1 and features a cast including Jeff Bridges and Phil LaMarr, with Pierre Coffin doing all the Minion voices. Some predict it might even have a shot at film awards.
However, some reviews found the film to be a "navel-gazing misfire" due to its intense focus on the moviemaking industry, suggesting that many of the cinephile-specific jokes would go over the heads of younger audiences and even bore parents. The romantic subplot between the alien robot and the suffragette was also noted as making less and less sense. Despite these criticisms, the film's initial cleverness and its blend of silliness with cinephilia offered a unique take on the Minions' adventures.
