A loud, fast, joke-dense animated sequel that works best as a kid-friendly chaos machine and a nostalgia play for fans of the franchise’s absurdity. It’s uneven and often feels like a string of gags, but the visual energy, slapstick, and surprisingly strong villain-team antics keep it afloat.
Minions: The Rise of Gru
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Animation · Comedy
Wed · 1h 27m
Director: Kyle Balda
Starring: Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Alan Arkin
Overview
A fanboy of a supervillain supergroup known as the Vicious 6, Gru hatches a plan to become evil enough to join them, with the backup of his followers, the Minions.
Director
Kyle Balda
Cast
Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Alan Arkin
Curator Review
Verdict
A loud, fast, joke-dense animated sequel that works best as a kid-friendly chaos machine and a nostalgia play for fans of the franchise’s absurdity. It’s uneven and often feels like a string of gags, but the visual energy, slapstick, and surprisingly strong villain-team antics keep it afloat.
Best for
families with younger kids
viewers who enjoy broad slapstick and visual comedy
fans of the Despicable Me/Minions brand of nonsense
people looking for an easy, low-stakes streaming watch
Skip if
you want sharp writing or a tightly structured plot
you dislike hyperactive kids’ comedy
you’re not already receptive to Minions-style humor
you prefer character-driven animation with emotional depth
Overview
Minions: The Rise of Gru is exactly what it advertises: a sugar-rush prequel built around chaos, pratfalls, and the relentless appeal of tiny yellow agents of disorder. The movie’s biggest strength is its pace; it keeps throwing visual jokes, chase scenes, and absurd set pieces at the screen with very little downtime.
Worth noting
The story is thin, but the villain squad and 1970s setting give it enough texture to feel like more than a sketch reel. It’s also one of those animated films that knows its audience: kids will latch onto the slapstick, while adults may get a few extra laughs from the period references and the sheer commitment to silliness.
Bottom line
That said, the film’s appeal is highly specific. If Minions already work for you, this is a competent, brightly packaged serving of the same thing. If they don’t, the movie is unlikely to convert you; it’s more likely to feel like noise with production value.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Jake (4.5★) · 6718 likes
I want to sleep with them but not inappropriately like I just wanna snuggle with them and hug them and kiss them make sure they are okay
Muriel · 6316 likes
If you think about it the minions are kinda like Jackass for children