Film review: Minions (7 out of 10)

It may have taken the creators of Despicable Me a couple of films to realise that their secondary characters were more interesting than the main ones, but at least they did notice.
MinionsMinions
Minions

And so they have decided to give those yellow jelly bean-like creatures their own movie.

The result is an excellent, funny and often surreal film that certainly captivated the very young audience I sat among.

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For those who haven’t heard of or seen a Minion. They are strange but cute creatures who have been around for centuries, looking for something or someone evil to serve.

They are also very clumsy and not that bright, chattering away in their own strange language.

A perfect recipe for animation.

The Minions movie is a prequel to Despicable Me. As the film starts we follow them in their failed attempts to find an evil master.

Three of them, Stuart, Kevin and Bob, however, leave the rest of the (very large) gang behind and set off in search of someone to serve.

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The journey takes us to New York in the 1960s, Orlando and then London where they meet the very evil Scarlett Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock).

There are all manner of weird and wonderful adventures on the way and some gentle mickey-taking of the British (apparently we are all very polite and drink tea all the time).

Jennifer Saunders, Steve Coogan, Michael Keaton, John Hamm and Allison Janney provide their voices for a variety of characters.

It’s all quite bonkers but really appeals to the young ones and has plenty of slapstick humour for the adults.

There’s also a cracking 1960s soundtrack to enjoy.

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My surprise is that the film didn’t come out during the long school summer holidays, it would have been a great diversion for bored young ones (and parents)

Film details: Minions (U) 91mins

Director: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin

Starring: Pierre Coffin, Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm

Screening courtesy of Horsham Capitol

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