Then again, these are the Minions and they find a way of surviving when you least expect it.The Rise of Gru is gorgeously animated and has fun with its ’70s setting, but there’s a clear vein of laziness that keeps it from appealing much to non-kiddos. The resulting casualties are prime needle drops, a stellar cast that could have shone brighter, and a franchise that could see its next installment crushed before it has a chance to begin. A tug of war of competing stories and “characters” is what winds up on the screen with Minions: The Rise of Gru. Whether you're looking for a movie focused on the Minions, or a story that centers itself around Gru, you’re going to get neither here. Outside of that, Minions: The Rise of Gru is a slog that tests the borders of franchise fatigue, bawdy family humor, and above all else, patience. That running total, the last I checked, was three. While his name is in the title, Gru feels like an afterthought in his own saga, despite being the one character whose plot has the most laughs. But it appears that the well of ideas has finally run dry, as some jokes can only last so long, and the gibberish laden, PG-nudity filled antics of these yellow cretins can only entertain for so long. Minions: The Rise of Gru was never going to win this franchise any new fans but this may be the first entry to actively annoy loyal ones.Īnimated franchises tend to be critic-proof, as all the parents are hoping for with something like Minions: The Rise of Gru is something to entertain their children. Succumbing to the hold that these Facebook friendly fiends have, the returns that began to diminish after Despicable Me 2 plummet pretty far and pretty fast here. That was never going to happen though, as it seems the marketability of the Minions was meant to mash some more bananas at the box office. Were this to unfold as Gru’s story, there would have been room for Minion mayhem to slide into the background and give everyone a movie that would have felt like an easier fit. Three figures in particular appear throughout Minions: The Rise of Gru, standing out as moments that jab you in your side as if to say, “Remember them?” After seeing the movie itself, I think that’s exactly what was intended from the beginning, as there’s tons of easter eggs and in-jokes with characters from the main series in the franchise appearing as younger incarnations. Now that the Minions have met Gru, you’d think that maybe Despicable Me: The Rise of Gru would have made more sense. The same cannot be said with Minions 2, as the result is so scattershot nobody gets what they want. At least in the Despicable Me trilogy you could expect both would be balanced, with Gru and his daughters maintaining prominence. Looking at the title itself, Minions: The Rise of Gru calls out its major problem before anyone even sees the movie: not all Minions fans want to see Gru’s story, and vice versa. This is a movie that wants to be a Despicable Me sequel, but isn’t allowed to be due to the branding power of Minions. Yet for as talented as this cast is, barely any time is spent with most of those names mentioned, and you’ll probably be disappointed to learn that such a killer roster isn’t given enough time to be recognized in this mess. Keep in mind, this is a movie that packs its cast with the likes of Lucy Lawless, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, Michelle Yeoh, and Dame Julie Andrews. Showcasing the sweetness that Despicable Me’s protagonist would lose and regain in his own adventures, those moments simply come out looking the best when sifting through everything else Minions: The Rise of Gru has to offer. Perhaps the one and only prospect that would have made sense is the mentorship between Gru and recently ousted Vicious 6 leader Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin).
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