Minions: Rise of Gru Doesn't Rise To The Occasion

Though this is not a movie one would suggest to watch with "the boys", it serves its purpose as a great movie for children.

Bello!

Intro

Minions: The Rise of Gru is the newest addition to the all too well-known movie franchise Despicable Me. Having produced movies every two to three years, this franchise has been having its loyal fanbase coming back for more. Choosing not to watch the trailer, I was left with no expectations, something I now am glad I did. Many young adults of this generation, mainly in their late teens and early twenties, will have memories of how Despicable Me started. Like any good classic animated franchise, this one is trying hard to keep the franchise going.

Plot

To anyone who has watched the franchise so far, we have seen Gru in his self-proclaimed evil and overly self-confident roles. As the title suggests, this movie looks at where this famous role started. The film introduces six villains who call themselves the "Vicious 6," a group Gru looks up to. As the movie progresses, we see how Gru tries to earn a position amongst these top villains at the tender age of 11, only to turn them against him. Like any Despicable Me movie, you are guaranteed to have a humorous, time-engaging, and at times quite adorable experience. Listening to the Minions talk in a language only they understand, watching Gru live in his imaginary criminal world, and the occasional side characters who came from time to time to serve some comedic purpose all came together quite decently.

Intended Audience

Though this is not a movie one would suggest to watch with "the boys" or your girlfriend, it serves its purpose as a great movie for children. That, however, doesn't eliminate the fact that many of those who remember watching these movies in their childhood shouldn't go back to have a truly nostalgic experience. I wouldn't suggest expecting the immensely entertaining film that the first Despicable Me was. Still, it bounced back compared to the more recent movies such as Despicable Me 3. Upon completing this movie, I was left with the impression that this franchise is not stopping anytime soon, and a good comparison would be the Toy Story franchise. Despicable Me 4 is already in the making and expected to release in 2024 to continue growing the world of minions run by Gru, and I am sure many have no issues with it.

Closing Critiques

All this being said, I would recommend this movie to anyone who wishes to watch it. It's that simple. If you want to watch it for whatever reason, then do so. You won't have any regrets, but you won't be amazed by this very, very mid-movie. I would suggest just watching the movie from the comfort of your home rather than taking the time to experience it in the theaters unless you're trying to get in on the "suit trend" that this movie started.

Raving Rating: 6.2