MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU | MOVIE REVIEW | SYLVIA PARK

Having never been to a Minions movie before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when walking into the theatre. With my two young children (3 and 5) excitedly seated next to me, stuffing their faces with popcorn, the movie delivered an action-packed ride that we all could enjoy.

By all accounts, the “Minions” formula is pretty well established – the humour consists of a lot of slapstick gags and the animation style looks familiar to what little I’ve seen of the other movies.

(c) 2021 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The story is set in the 1970s, with the protagonist a young 11-year-old Gru wanting to join his favourite team of supervillains: the Vicious 6. Luckily for Gru, the Vicious 6 has just become the Vicious 5 after they oust their original leader, Wild Knuckles.

The story takes numerous twists and turns with Gru and the Minions coming up against Wild Knuckles and the Vicious 5 separately at various points in the movie. Given the era in which the movie is set, there are a lot of 1970s references and in particular a focus on old-school Kung Fu movies. The Minions even learn Kung Fu in their effort to assist their leader Gru out of a tough spot.

(c) 2021 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The one downside was that the film had more animated violence than I had expected (which was a bit scary for the youngest viewers in the theatre, including my children). However, after cuddling into mums and dads throughout the theatre, there were enough funny moments to outweigh any scary parts. My youngest child had a number of laugh-out-loud moments, particularly when the Minions were involved.

This movie is fast-paced with a lot of action, particularly towards the climax of the story. The voice actors are great (and well-cast), the music is fantastic (a lot of throwback 1970s tunes) and there are numerous slapstick gags throughout. Overall, this movie delivers a good popcorn-chomping cinema experience that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.

(c) 2021 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Check times & dates for Hoyts HERE, then head to Sylvia Park for a delightful family movie to go with your popcorn.