‘Minions & Monsters,’ an unlikely love letter to cinema

Modern movie-making now consists of an endless array of franchises. Audiences become exhausted of fourth, fifth and sixth iterations of the same characters, both live-action and animated. “Minions & Monsters,” the third installment of the billion-dollar “Minions” franchise, should feel no different to the others. Instead, upon watch, a passionately made story can be found, reminding audiences of the grandeur and magic movies bring to our lives.

The film, set in the 1920s, follows a new set of minions including James and Henry, voiced by director and minion co-creator Pierre Coffin. The minions search for a new villain, leading them onto a movie set and resulting in them becoming silent movie stars. The minions exist concurrently to the golden age of Hollywood and are quickly found to be worthless when sound or “talkies” take over the movie industry. James, spurred on by his dreams of winning a banana-shaped Oscar, attempts to save the minion race by creating his own monster movie. 

The film packs its yellow tic-tac filled world with references to cinema history, including nods to “E.T.,” “The Matrix,” Humphrey Bogart and a brief voice acting cameo from George Lucas (Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises). The “Minions” franchise’s trademark humor of the bumbling and stupid minions have always owed a debt to the silent-era’s slapstick comedies. “Minions & Monsters” pays that debt in full with an affectionate tribute to Hollywood’s physical comedy roots. The inventive gag and joke sequences reward movie lovers, but never alienate younger audiences who can simply enjoy the spectacle. 

Composer John Powell (“How to Train Your Dragon” and “Rio”) elevates the children’s movie with his sweeping score. His music transforms even the silliest sequences into a time capsule for experiencing early silent films for the first time. The score encapsulates movie magic and  reminisces on iconic cinema scores, making it difficult to believe audiences are watching a “Minions” movie.

The minions becoming unemployed because of the arrival of “talkies” exists as a clever allusion to an industry that is constantly changing. Despite this, the film inspires optimism. Supporting characters like Ed, a hard-of-hearing minion who communicates through Minionese sign language, and a subplot love interest involving a women’s suffragette gives the film a surprising warmth that doesn’t feel forced. 

“Minions & Monsters” resembles a family-friendly version of “Babylon” (2022), choosing to focus on Hollywood’s capacity to inspire dreams rather than its excess. Few franchise films recognize why audiences fell in love with the original movies in the first place. In “Minions & Monsters,” minions like James and Henry remind audiences of the joy and magic movies bring to the world and their potential to do the impossible. 

4 Oscars out of 5

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