I don't get it. The minions are short, but the writers were obviously
high when creating this piece of garbage. Minions is a prequel/spin-off
that centers in on our group of titular heroes from the Despicable Me
movies as we delve into their contradictory origin.
By group, I mean
three certain minions: Kevin, Stuart, and Bob. The three must travel to
find the biggest and baddest new boss to save their colony from a
never-ending sadness that could force the minions into extinction. The
concept for the plot is fine when it actually starts out with that, but
its execution had no chance from the get-go. The problem I have is that
in Despicable Me it is clearly stated that Gru created the minions.
However, in this title it states how the minions were around since the
dawn of time. This overlook in plot eradicates any purpose for this
abomination to exist. Throw that mishap in with a plot that has no
connection between events, spontaneously creates different conflicts, and
just randomly switches from one place to the next and you have yet
another reason to avoid Minions.
The villain the Minions must locate is Scarlet Overkill; the first ever
female and best ever villain. Voiced by Sandra Bullock, Scarlet is
actually a pretty decent character that surprisingly makes you want to
focus on her character. Or that would have been the case, but instead
Scarlet is simply used as a pointless plot device. She could have been
used as a way to include some heart or emotion into the film with her
unexplained backstory that is supposedly tragic. Additionally, Scarlet
could have been used as a lesson for gender equality as she is
constantly stating she was undermined by all, yet overcame her
challenges and rose to become an inspirational figure for others (be
they good or evil).
I usually tend to not focus on animation in an animated film unless it's terrible, unique, or remarkable. Take a guess which choice it is for Minions? While the backgrounds switch between average and good, the characters feel like they're drawn weirdly just for the sake of. This art-style worked in the Despicable Me movies because it accompanied their impeccable comedic tone. Here, it's just a stupid gimmick to get kids drawn in to the film's nonsensical existence.
Minions is a shameless cash grab for the opportunity to take advantage
of the Minion's popularity. It has a terrible, spontaneous plot that is accompanied by its unappealing art-style. It had an option to have
some substance, but completely passes over it. The only accomplishment
Minions makes is stealing hard-earned money from buyers of this
godforsaken product and mildly connecting to Despicable Me.
 |
| Bob and his teddy bear |
Since I finally have been able to watch Minions myself, I do have to add my thoughts on it. Because I don't agree at all with what Ultimategamer132 is saying.
In my opinion, Minions is not a total cash grab as claimed. It actually tries to expand on the minions (in a good way) and why we love them so much. Firstly, they are all extremely adorable. If you still had any doubts about that, then this prequel confirms it once and for all. Kevin, Stuart and Bob managed to charm me right from when they were set out to their adventure finding a new boss to work for. Most of the time this has the consequence that they roll from one comedic predicament into another. Something I never got tired off since it was done superbly. Not only were these situations action packed. They were also very clever at times. Whenever they could, there would be references to pop culture. Naturally, you have to know what they are referring to. Since a lot of them are meant for an older audience, they might be lost on the young ones. These moments made it very easy for me to overlook the lack of story. And let us be honest here. How would that even be possible. The minions speak a lingo that is not that easy to understand. It seems to be a mix of many known languages, and it would be very hard for them to have a proper dialogue. For the audience to understand, things have to be visualized for us. In my opinion, being able to tell us a lot with non-verbal communication almost seems like a lost art and is one I hold dear. So any attempt into using this art form or paying tribute to it deserves a lot of credit. We are forgetting that we owe a lot to those old slapstick silent movies. Without them, there would not have been a Hollywood.
Not having enough of Scarlet in my opinion was a good thing if you ask me. We all know that the minions end up with Gru and in order for that to happen we have to find out why Scarlet wasn't working out. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't that exactly what happened? We are shown how easily she turned her back on these adorable little creatures, and that even minions have their limits when it comes to their adoration for their master. Besides, focus on Scarlet would completely detract from the minions and the whole reason this film was made to give us more of them.
A valid argument is made by Ultimategamer132 concerning the origins of the minions. I, too, was convinced they were created by Gru. It has been a long time I have seen Despicable Me and I would have to watch it again to see where specifically it was stated or implied. But if I remember correctly, there is a scene where we saw some blueprints referring to Gru trying to create these creatures. Let us assume he did create them, then this whole prequel would negate that Gru is behind it all. Did it then bother me that suddenly the minions have a very different origin story? No. In fact, I think it makes it even more hilarious that they have been around since the dawn of time. And that their goals and tasks have not changed throughout all the years. They live to serve their evil masters. This makes them incredibly dedicated and even more lovable.
The animation was splendid. It completely matched with the style and visuals of the two Despicable Me movies. A wonderful blend of cartoony and realistic. And all of it was very colourful and happy. So again, I disagree with Ultimategamer132.
In the end, I had a real blast watching this since I can't get enough of the minions. Especially when they are as cute and adorable as Bob, who carries his teddy bear with him at all times. And who even befriends a rat while being chased. Minions is a delightful addition to the franchise since it is very good fun. What more do you want?
No comments:
Post a Comment