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Kids Will Go Bananas for "Minions"

The inherent problem with "Minions" is that a little bit of the minions goes a long way. They are really meant more as sidekicks rather than the stars. Isn't that what the term minion means, anyway?

As the sidekicks in the two "Despicable Me" movies, the minions got a fair share of the laughs for their bumbling, slapstick antics alongside Gru (Steve Carrell's character in the "Despicable Me" movies, not here). To bring the minions to the forefront is a bit of a stretch because it is asking parents to sit through a 90-minute film with their kids, starring little yellow characters that speak in mostly gibberish. It does get grating after a while.

But this movie is really for the kids ("Banana!") and I can't knock "Minions" too much as it does seem to succeed in that aspect. Unlike last month's "Inside Out", which appealed to parents and kids, "Minions" is an animated screwball comedy mainly meant for the young ones. There is enough flatulence and falling down, minion hijinks and pratfalls to keep the kids entertained for the duration of the movie. There is no doubt that they will want the minion stuffed animals and Happy Meal toys after this movie. It really is an elaborate and very expensive marketing scheme.

"Minions" is set before the happenings of the two "Despicable Me" movies. Geoffrey Rush narrates the early days of the minions who are desperately seeking a leader. Their quest for minionhood continually comes up empty, so three of them break away from the others to find their next leader. Kevin, Stuart and Bob (all voiced by co-director Pierre Coffin) arrive in New York City in 1968. Coffin and co-director Kyle Balda succeed in bringing the minions to a strange new world. There is such great attention to detail when the minions are exploring, whether it is a Richard Nixon billboard or the minions being fascinated by a television.

The three minions end up going to work for Scarlett Overkill (Sandra Bullock) and her husband Herb (Jon Hamm) in London. Scarlett is a one-dimensional villain who wants world domination - as they all do - and orders the minions to steal Queen Elizabeth II's (Jennifer Saunders) crown. Ready to please and serve their master, Kevin, Stuart and Bob get to work to make sure they don't disappoint Scarlett. She promises them a great life ("Banana!") should they perform this task for her. You can guess how that all goes.

Several scenes in "Minions" really pop with great color and verve. There are subtleties in certain scenes that adults will appreciate much more than the kids, who will likely still be laughing at the minion nudity from three scenes prior. The film is stretched a bit thin, even at 90 minutes, but it is breezy entertainment kids will enjoy from start to finish.

Just be ready to buy this one on Blu-ray when it comes out and hear "BANANA!" ring throughout your entire home for weeks on end.