"Minions" merely provides a momentary fun ride

After doing supporting roles in the two "Despicable Me" movies, Gru's popular, wacky and endearing little, yellow-colored and pill-shaped henchmen are now given the spotlight in a "prequel" titled no less than "Minions" (2015, USA), directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda. It's considered a "prequel" in that it traces the "origins" of the title characters and thereafter "chronicles" their search for a super-villain who they will regard as their master. Who it is that eventually becomes their master we already know by now, of course. The question is: How does the Minions fare as the superstar characters this time around? 

Undoubtedly, these little creatures are still funny and adorable as they are, figuring prominently in innumerable sight-gags and slapstick comedy, that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the animated film could amount to a "kiddie" version of The Three Stooges, especially that in the film we have the three central characters of Kevin (the tall one), Bob (the short one) and Stuart (the one-eyed one). Whereas speaking of its prevailing motif of roaming masterless horde, it brings to mind the Japanese classic "47 Ronin". But this is just saying about the characters themselves. In regards the cartoon itself, that's where we might have a bit of a concern. It's because I can't avoid thinking that coming up with "Minions" is really unnecessary. Never minding that I may be regarded as a killjoy, but is there really a "need" for us to have this "origin" story? It just feels insignificant as that Kath-Niel remake of a once-popular night-time soap opera or, for that matter, as any sweet flick that these two star in. As insignificant, too, as having to adapt to the big screen any pick-of-the-day YA reading fare that comes about. As much as we want to call the rose by any other name, by day's end it amounts to nothing more than riding on the bankability of the franchise. 

Taking "Minions" as a whole, it's no more than an assemblage of slapstick and sight-gags, rather than a substantial lesson in heroism, identity and family, which is what the first two films have admirably aspired to be. The numerous situations that the yellow creatures find themselves in are in themselves rambunctious and ridiculous, eliciting a good amount of laughter from the mostly young audience (of which we happily deceived ourselves to be a part). But if we are to exert ourselves in finding a unifying substance through it all, "Minions" lamentably lacks one. Even the introduction of a major femme fatale in the person of the high-class thief Scarlett Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock) doesn't entirely provide the film a definitive turning point or a crucial narrative arc. It wouldn't really in any way make us look differently at the first two "Despicable Me". Perhaps, that's the point: The tiny henchmen's star vehicle is made to exist only to provide an in-the-moment fun ride, nothing more and nothing less. 

Thus, in terms of immediate rollicking comedy, cutesy blabbering characters and the cool and chic vibe of an animated retro London (hmmm, why is it always cool to be retro? - think "Guardians of the Galaxy", think "Boyhood", think "It Follows"), "Minions" is just the right feel-good escapist fare. But if you're thinking in terms of groundbreaking, innovative and compelling animation like "Fantasia", "Wall-E", "Akira", "Spirited Away", "The Wolf Children", "Waltz with Bashir", etc, then you really have to look further than this one. 

• Film verdict: Good

Bob, Kevin and Stuart are on the road to find a master in "Minions".