The delightful fictional yellow characters return to the screen in Universal Pictures, Minions: The Rise of Gru from director Kyle Balda. Brian Lynch and Matthew Fogel helm the sequel, a follow-up to the spin-off prequel Minions (2015) and the fifth overall entry in the Despicable Me franchise.
In the heart of the 1970s, amid a flurry of feathered hair and flared jeans, Gru (Steve Carell) is growing up in the suburbs. A fanboy of a supervillain super group known as the Vicious 6, Gru hatches a plan to become evil enough to join them. Luckily, he gets some mayhem-making backup from his loyal followers, the Minions. Together, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto–a new Minion sporting braces and a desperate need to please–deploy their skills as they and Gru build their first lair, experiment with their first weapons, and pull off their first missions.
When the Vicious 6 ousts their leader, legendary fighter Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), Gru interviews to become their newest member. It does not go well (to say the least), only worsens after Gru outsmarts them, and suddenly finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil. On the run, Gru will turn to an unlikely source for guidance, Wild Knuckles himself, and discover that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.
Audiences walking into Minions: The Rise of Gru will already know what to expect from the film. Brian Lynch and Matthew Fogel’s script for the film is fast-paced and delivers the jokes in rapid succession, never allowing the film to overstay its welcome or the characters to become annoying.
Furthermore, the directors keep the finale brief but at the usual pace. The trend of epic battles with multiple endings has made its way into family films, which Gru and his minions, thankfully, refuse to do. On the other hand, chronological classification is something that creative minds refuse to give up. Minions: The Rise of Gru takes place in 1976, and everything with sound, pictures, and words refers to it repeatedly.
While the film does have an impressive voice cast that includes Taraji P. Henson, Michele Yeoh, Lucy Lawless, Jean Claude Van Damme, and Rza, this film is still about Steve Carrell, who successfully embodies a young Gru. The detail put into Vicious 6 was another film highlight that each previously mentioned actor represents.
Enjoy what Minions: The Rise of Gru has to offer. The film is turbulent fun knows how to entertain with lawless joy.
Final Grade: B+
Minions: The Rise of Gru is in theaters now
Writer-director Lee Cronin made an impressive feature film debut in 2019 with “The Hole in the Ground” and followed it up with a fresh and gruesome installment in the “Evil Dead” franchise, “Evil Dead Rise”. However, due to adult responsibilities, I missed his third film in theaters. The mixed reviews and rumors of a troubled production have me concerned.
While TLC and SWV are often seen as the defining female trios of the 1990s, this week’s Slow Jam Saturday takes us back to 1998 to revisit a group that deserved more recognition than it received. Before label issues cut their career short, Divine made their debut with the single “Lately”—a heartfelt ballad that showcased beautiful harmonies, emotional honesty, and all the elements of what seemed to be a promising future.
When I first saw “Gail Daughtry’s and the Celebrity Sex Pass” at Sundance 2026, it quickly became one of my favorite films of the festival. I was elated when Sony Pictures Classics picked up the film for distribution.