Minions: The Rise of Gru
Minions: The Rise of Gru
The untold story of one twelve-year-old's dream to become the world's greatest supervillain.
Manuel Frangis reviewedApril 8, 2025
I just watched Minions: The Rise of Gru, and I give it 4 out of 5 stars. This movie was exactly what I expected, and honestly, that is not a bad thing. It is colorful, loud, silly, and full of non stop energy. If you like the Minions and their wild nonsense, this one definitely delivers. It is not deep, but it is fun, and sometimes that is all you need.
This one goes back to the beginning and shows a young Gru before he became the big villain we know from the Despicable Me movies. He is still just a kid with big dreams and an even bigger ego, trying to prove himself to a group of legendary villains called the Vicious 6. It is a fun setup that gives you a new look at Gru, while still packing in everything you would expect from a Minions movie.
Steve Carell is back voicing Gru, and even though he is playing a younger version of the character, the performance still works. He brings the same weird voice, funny timing, and little bursts of attitude that make Gru such a great character. Watching him try to act like a tough villain while still being a kid is one of the most entertaining parts of the movie.
The Minions are as chaotic as ever. They are constantly running into trouble, causing accidents, and somehow helping even when they are completely messing things up. There is a lot of slapstick comedy, goofy sounds, and over the top moments that kids will love. I was laughing at more of it than I thought I would. Some of the jokes are really clever, and even the dumb ones land just because of how committed the Minions are to being ridiculous.
The animation is really good. Everything is super bright and colorful, with tons of detail packed into every scene. The settings range from Gru’s neighborhood to secret villain hideouts, to wild chases through the city, and it all looks great. The action scenes are surprisingly well done, with some fast paced sequences that are actually pretty exciting.
The music also stands out. Since the movie takes place in the 1970s, the soundtrack leans into that era with some fun needle drops and funky background tracks. It adds a cool style to the movie and helps it stand out from the others in the franchise.
Where the movie falls a little short is in the story. It is not bad, but it is definitely more about the jokes and action than the plot. The villain group has a cool design, but they do not really get much development. You are not watching this for deep characters or big emotional moments though. You are watching it for laughs, Minions chaos, and a fast paced ride, and in that way, it totally works.
I give Minions: The Rise of Gru 4 out of 5 stars because it is exactly what it promises. It is a silly, fun animated movie with enough jokes and energy to keep you smiling the whole way through. Overall The Rise of Gru is a light, entertaining ride that fills in some of Gru’s backstory while letting the Minions do what they do best. It is not perfect, but it is a fun time, especially if you just want to laugh and not take anything too seriously.