Minions & Monsters may be inspired by iconography from the classic Hollywood period, but the animated film could be viewed as a classic in its own right as it has broken a record.
The film is the third instalment of the prequel series to Despicable Me, and focuses on a different tribe of our adorable yellow friends as they attempt to make an authentic monster movie in the 1920s.
Naturally, the little devils get up to plenty of shenanigans, including summoning monsters of their own as they meddle with powers far out of their control. Mayhem ensues, and they're left to pick up the pieces of their mess.
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While director and co-writer Pierre Coffin voices the mischievous fellows, the film boasts a stacked cast elsewhere, with Trey Parker, Christoph Waltz, Allison Janney, Jeff Bridges and Jesse Eisenberg all having roles.
Furthermore, Minions & Monsters has dazzled critics, with the animation currently having an 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 56 reviews. As it stands, it's the highest-rated entry in the Despicable Me franchise, beating the mark of 80% set by the original.
What to Read Next
You can read a selection of reviews below:
The Boston Globe
"The script, by Coffin and Brian Lynch, builds several gags on a foundation of intelligent movie knowledge, which speaks to the cinephile in me. The 90-minute runtime is also a big plus."
RogerEbert.com
"It's a genuine triumph, not just in terms of its construction as a kid's movie comedy sequence but as a distillation of all the cinematic pioneers who paved the way for something like the Minions to exist, much less succeed."
Empire Magazine
"More of the same from this franchise, really. It will keep the Minion-sized people in your life happy and probably make a bazillion dollars. Bananas all round!"
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TheWrap
"Minions & Monsters builds to an open-hearted tribute to the power of the communal moviegoing experience that is unexpectedly emotional and makes the film feel like it could be the best in the franchise, perhaps since the very first Despicable Me."
Variety
"The film is such a weird, wilful popular entertainment for much of its running time that it holds your goodwill: It's almost bellissima but it's fully, madly moviosa, and that's more than the seventh entry in any animated franchise has a right to be."
Minions & Monsters is in cinemas now.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
