For over a decade and a half, Illumination's Minions have occupied a peculiar place in popular culture. They’ve been merchandising juggernauts, internet memes, and much needed comic relief in our mundane lives. And with Minions & Monsters the studio delivers what is arguably the franchise's most inventive outing to date.
Rather than simply placing its yellow troublemakers in another globe-trotting adventure, director Pierre Coffin turns back the clock to Hollywood's golden beginnings while still serving up the chaotic humour we associate the franchise with.
The film opens with a loveable tribute. A modern Universal logo rewinds through decades of studio history until it reaches the silent era, while the Illumination logo itself transforms into vintage “rubber hose” animation..
The story unfolds through a museum guide’s narration, revealing that the Minions helped create cinema as we knot it. Their adventures cleverly weave through landmark moments in early cinema, inserting them into iconic works by pioneers like Georges Méliès, the Lumière brothers and Eadweard Muybridge before eventually landing them in 1920s Hollywood.
The narrative revolves around James and Henry, two Minions whose dream isn't simply to serve an evil master but to become filmmakers themselves. Their aspirations lead them to eccentric director Max (voiced by Christoph Waltz), who recognises the accidental brilliance hidden inside the Minions' endless chaos.
Soon the tiny yellow creatures become unlikely movie stars, only to find themselves discarded as Hollywood transitions from silent films to talkies. James’ determination to revive their fortunes by making a monster movie gives the second half its central premise.
Visually, the film is among Illumination's strongest efforts. The recreation of early Hollywood is nostalgic, from bustling studio lots and elaborate silent-film sets to lovingly recreated period costumes and architecture. The animators clearly relish filling every frame with references to classic cinema, rewarding attentive viewers with nods to Modern Times, Safety Last!, Steamboat Bill Jr., Citizen Kane, Singin' in the Rain and numerous other classics.
Pierre Coffin, who once again voices the Minions, demonstrates a keen understanding of what makes these characters work. Their humour has never relied on dialogue but on movement, timing and expressive animation. Much like silent comedians such as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, the Minions communicate through exaggerated gestures and impeccable comic timing.
The first half of the film is easily its strongest. The celebration of early filmmaking balances homage with uproarious comedy. The second half, however, struggles to maintain that momentum.
As James and Henry summon the mischievous monster Goomi to help create their horror film, the story splits into multiple parallel plots. Meanwhile, another group of Minions encounters Dort, an awkward alien robot dreaming of world domination, who unexpectedly develops feelings for suffragette Debbie.
Individually, these storylines offer amusing moments. Jesse Eisenberg brings his signature energy to Dort, while Trey Parker injects playful mischief into Goomi. But together they make the narrative feel more crowded than necessary.
It's here that Minions & Monsters begins to resemble previous entries in the Despicable Me universe rather than standing apart from them. The climactic battle delivers entertainment, but lacks the originality and charm that define the opening hour.
Fortunately, Coffin never loses sight of the film’s larger message. Beneath the explosions and monster mayhem lies a heartfelt appreciation for cinema itself — not just filmmaking, but the communal joy of watching movies together.