MOVIE REVIEWS

Eleven year old 'Gru" is asked by his school teacher what he wants to be when he grows up. "A super villain" he retorts - to the derision of his classmates. Little do they know, though, that he has applied to join the "Vicious Six" who have, themselves, just dumped their founder member "Wild Knuckles". They aren't so impressed when he turns up at the interview but he uses his newly designed glue-gun to escape with their all powerful, emerald encrusted, stone. Now the five are on the warpath as he entrusts the stone to his minion friend "Otto", but he manages to swap it for a pebble with eyes so now embarks on a mammoth cycle ride to fetch it back whilst the pursuing villains cause havoc. Luckily, "Wild Knuckles" hasn't given up. He kidnaps "Gru" to get the stone back, but when he realises that he no longer has it, the two form an unlikely, and quite amusing, partnership to retrieve it. I guess I'm just the wrong demographic for this, because although it hits the ground running and never stops for breath, I just didn't really get it. The yellow ovoid creatures are fun, but hardy the stuff of big screen entertainment and the plot reminded me of the recently released "Bad Guys" animation that I didn't much like either. It's my first foray into "Despicable" territory, but the slapstick approach to the whole thing will probably ensure it's my last. Others will love it, I'm sure - the cinema on a Sunday night was packed to the rafters, but this hadn't enough for the grown up in me to remain engaged for long.

It sure has been a long wait for the sequel (7 years to be precise) but I think it's safe to say that the film does not disappoint. While the film lacks a strong plot and is louder than its prequel, it easily covers up with delightful comedy, a sprinkle of nostalgia and a satisfying dose of lovable Minions!

Very good movie, watched with my family and no regrets on it. Recommend to everybody!.

**Overall : The Rise of Gru returns the franchise to what it does best.** Minions: The Rise of Gru feels like the franchise is starting to return to what made it great. Bringing back great characters like Gru and Nefario substantiated the movie providing a stronger connection to the Despicable Me movies than the last Minions film. Great Easter eggs, clever jokes, and fun moments throughout equaled a fantastic new entry in this beloved franchise.

Some glow up! 2015's <em>'Minions'</em> wasn't a film I found enjoyment with (6/10, fwiw), but its sequel genuinely entertained thoroughly. It doesn't offer anything truly hilarious, but there were a relatively high number of times where it made me chuckle. I was not expecting anything positive from it, yet it actually pulls through with a fun time. I'd even say it's the best release from the entire franchise. Steve Carell remains a strong lead for these <em>'Despicable Me'</em> projects, as does Pierre Coffin - the voice of the Minions, of course! Taraji P. Henson is an excellent addition, as is Alan Arkin. Michelle Yeoh is good value too, but her character is a bit lame unfortunately - a bit of a waste of Yeoh, to be honest. Elsewhere, animation-wise: quality - very vibrant! Lastly, how many butt shots is too many butt shots? I counted at least 3, 4 perhaps: 3(?) x Minions and 1 x Gru. I hope this isn't Kyle Balda's version of Quentin Tarantino's <em>thing</em>...