THE fifth instalment in the Despicable Me animated franchise takes place in 1976, when pre-teen Gru decides he wants to be a supervillain and meets the Minions for the first time. Gru (Steve Carell) is a shy, introverted teen who aspires to be a supervillain. He applies to join the Vicious 6, the world’s premier supervillain squad lead by Belle Bottom (Taraji P. Henson), but is insulted during his interview. To prove his nefarious capabilities to his ‘heroes’, Gru takes the enigmatic Zodiac Stone, the Vicious 6’s most prized possession. He and his devoted Minions the go on the run from the world’s most dangerous individuals, seeking the assistance of someone with a personal vendetta against the Vicious 6 – their disgraced former leader, Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin).
There is plenty of humour, as one would expect from a Minions film, but I have to admit the narrative is pretty weak in and of itself. Surface-level adversaries combined with one of the most lacklustre boss battles I have ever seen only means that The Rise of Gru is only surviving due to the Minions’ pure entertainment value, which cannot be overstated. The fictional critters spend a lot of time performing ridiculous and charming things or fighting to themselves in the flick. However, the return of Gru in this film is one of its biggest strengths, because Minions: The Rise of Gru finally delivers to fans the prequel that most people desired after seeing the first film, focused on Gru with his minions.
The Rise of Gru, which stars Michelle Yeoh as Master Chow, an acupuncturist who teaches Stuart, Kevin, and Bob the art of kung fu, incorporates martial arts into the mix in the second half. The members of the Vicious 6 are also memorable. There is Nunchuck (Lucy Lawless) – a nun who utilises nunchucks – fhas a decent level of enthusiasm among the new villains. Then there’s Jean Clawed, a brilliant villain with a big lobster claw played by Jean-Claude Van Damme. Not to mention Taraji P. Henson, who perfectly embodies her character Belle Bottom.
Personally, despite its flaws, I think this film is simply plain entertaining. I can assure it delivers precisely what you are anticipating if you have liked everything so far, but it might be difficult to win over anyone who has not been moved by the prior films. The hilarious comedy, tales and themes, and animation styles all stay consistent.
The plot of the film is likewise rather light. This movie reminds us of the characters’ ludicrous charms, both physically and metaphorically, as well as their transcending popularity. The Rise of Gru is, in my opinion, the best movie in the franchise since Despicable Me.
DIRECTOR: Kyle Balda
VOICES: Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Taraji P. Henson, Michelle Yeoh, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lucy Lawless, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo and Russell Brand.
E-VALUE: 8
ACTING: 7
PLOT: 7
