In the group of secondary characters from the anime epics who went on their own adventures (penguins in Madagascar, Puss in Boots, etc.), few were able to convince them of the possibility of being alone. This is where Illumination turned the century in 2015 by introducing its very own Despicable Me Minions which was a hit and a very funny one. The result is clear: these yellow, dressed-up creatures with rough language have real comedic potential, even away from their puppy boss. And while the master license was nearing the end of his ideas, they still had a lot on their hands. This is how Minion 2: Once Upon a Time Gru arrived.

We find yellow creatures in the 1970s, accompanying their “little boss” when the latter, though at the age of 11, wants to join Vicious 6, a famous group of super-villains. But the interview went wrong and Gru became their target. Then it falls on Wild Knuckles, the former commander of Vicious 6. For their part, the Minions will try everything to save their little boss.

Once upon a time a puppy

In this summary alone, we find the main problem of Minions 2: Once Upon a Time Gru. There are two stories within the story. or even three. On the one hand, we have Kevin, Bob, and Stewart who will learn kung fu in a purely entertaining homage to the genre films (with Bruce Lee costumes to go along with it), and on the other hand, we have a puppy who will require a semi-rudimentary relationship with Wild Knuckles, and finally, we have Otto cross the US in Easy Rider mode. As the title of the movie and the ending of the previous movie suggest, this is no longer a movie about Minions, it’s a movie about Minions AND Gru.

What was originally a slightly separate introduction to Despicable Me has already joined the thread of historical narrative. In principle, it seemed inevitable and there was nothing shocking in it. But within the film, this above all creates a shift in tempo and sequences that are not on par with each other. As much as the Kevin part is, Bob and Stuart are full of ideas, especially regarding references to the seventh art, as much as the part with Gru is more traditional and softer. We even find ourselves taking the plunge sometimes.

Above all, this almost early intersection between the small and the big story leads to a more fundamental question about the future of the Minions. We know all of Universal’s love for these creatures (we can’t count how many winks appear in the studio movies) and we also know the audience will respond again; We ourselves are well aware of their almost unlimited potential in terms of humor.

So, with such a promising future, it’s strange to have this feeling that by actually bringing Gru back to the fore, the screenwriters seem to admit failure, as if the movie couldn’t stand the lonely Minion bullshit in this new one. The license bears her name though. Are we in front of a real movie dedicated, like the first, or to the movie “Me, Small, Moche et Méchant”? While, on the generic side, we want to re-record in a third episode, we’re almost seeing an early ending on the screenwriters’ side.

Minions, funny and touching

Especially since Minions 2 had some leeway to dispense with Gru. In the ’70s alone, there was still enough to laugh about beyond the film’s shy few uses. All you have to do is see the intro scene or the lair of villains hiding in the vinyl store so you’ll have that desire to keep an eye on more of our Minions this decade. Sure, we could have yelled at iterations versus the first movie, but who cares!

Because the significance is that it still makes us laugh! And Minions 2: Once Upon a Time Gru, when you’re not lost in an uninteresting arc, is clearly a lot of fun! With every new look, every new attitude, every new Minionesque scream match, we laugh at best, smile at least. Especially since the movie still manages to tell new things about them, both in terms of the characters and their relationships.

In addition, we must not forget about the main goal of the feature film. Because if some parents start to feel tired, there is no doubt about the effect on the little ones because it is teeming with optical illusions. A weird, cartoonish side gets what we asked for: fun. We found them funny and cuddly, now we totally love these yellow creatures. Why bother with a little boss? They are the bosses!