Whether it's the topic of film or television, spin-offs are inconsistent. A show like "Friends" worked because all of the characters were great together as an ensemble. When the show ended, Matt LeBlanc's character Joey got his own show, and it was a disaster. From the hilarious "Knocked Up" came "This is 40," which probably possessed the most unlikable married couple I can remember in any movie I have seen in my nearly 30 years of living.
Sometimes, there are spin-offs that are quite good, even better than their source material. "Get him to the Greek," spun-off from "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," was hilarious and more memorable than where it originated from. Since this particular review is for a children's movie, I have to mention that I have not seen many films that are spin-offs from others; however, as a father to a two-year-old girl, I have seen the "My Little Pony" films that have the ponies as humans, which is spun-off from the television show. I have no shame in admitting that I truly enjoyed those movies, and I love the show. Again, no shame. "My Little Pony" is awesome.
In 2010, "Despicable Me" was released and proved to be a terrific animated feature for all ages. 3 years later, a sequel that was just as entertaining and delightful was released and was an even bigger hit than its predecessor. With both of these films came Minions, a group of yellow, lovable little creatures with their own adorable language. They stole every scene they were in within both films. It's obvious why it was found "necessary" to create a film that centered around them; unfortunately, the end result is quite disappointing.
The film starts out with much promise as we see how the Minions set out on a quest to find the perfect villain to serve for. Much of this opening is shown in the trailers, so you could probably walk in 10-15 minutes late if you insist on going to see it. It is when they attend a villain convention and meet the film's central villain Scarlet Overkill (voiced by the incredibly talented Sandra Bullock) that the film really falls apart. The problem is that she is a lame villain whose intentions are ridiculous. She is not even evil enough, and there is really nothing about her to fear. It's really a shame because Bullock really could have shined in this part.
The Minions truly deserve a better movie than this. They are great characters, and they produce a lot of laughs by themselves within the film. But was it really necessary to have a whole film centered around them? Nah. They work better as sidekicks who steal scenes in the "Despicable Me" films. I wouldn't say skip it entirely, because as mentioned above, the Minions themselves are terrific. Be warned, however, that the plot is a mess.
Sometimes, there are spin-offs that are quite good, even better than their source material. "Get him to the Greek," spun-off from "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," was hilarious and more memorable than where it originated from. Since this particular review is for a children's movie, I have to mention that I have not seen many films that are spin-offs from others; however, as a father to a two-year-old girl, I have seen the "My Little Pony" films that have the ponies as humans, which is spun-off from the television show. I have no shame in admitting that I truly enjoyed those movies, and I love the show. Again, no shame. "My Little Pony" is awesome.
In 2010, "Despicable Me" was released and proved to be a terrific animated feature for all ages. 3 years later, a sequel that was just as entertaining and delightful was released and was an even bigger hit than its predecessor. With both of these films came Minions, a group of yellow, lovable little creatures with their own adorable language. They stole every scene they were in within both films. It's obvious why it was found "necessary" to create a film that centered around them; unfortunately, the end result is quite disappointing.
The film starts out with much promise as we see how the Minions set out on a quest to find the perfect villain to serve for. Much of this opening is shown in the trailers, so you could probably walk in 10-15 minutes late if you insist on going to see it. It is when they attend a villain convention and meet the film's central villain Scarlet Overkill (voiced by the incredibly talented Sandra Bullock) that the film really falls apart. The problem is that she is a lame villain whose intentions are ridiculous. She is not even evil enough, and there is really nothing about her to fear. It's really a shame because Bullock really could have shined in this part.
The Minions truly deserve a better movie than this. They are great characters, and they produce a lot of laughs by themselves within the film. But was it really necessary to have a whole film centered around them? Nah. They work better as sidekicks who steal scenes in the "Despicable Me" films. I wouldn't say skip it entirely, because as mentioned above, the Minions themselves are terrific. Be warned, however, that the plot is a mess.