This review may contain spoilers.
I saw this twice in one week and I liked it a lot more on the second viewing. First viewing I walked out a little underwhelmed, and I honestly don't know if that was the movie or just me being tired. Second time I saw it with friends and the whole thing clicked. Comedy is just better in a crowd, and this one benefits from it. This is the strongest Minions movie they've made, and I think it's the best film in the entire Despicable Me franchise. I didn't walk in expecting to say that, but after two viewings I'm comfortable with it. The movie centers on James and Henry, who are basically a buddy-comedy duo, and their chemistry carries the film. Previous Minions entries always felt like comic relief in search of a plot. These two actually have an arc. The best idea in the movie is dropping the Minions into Hollywood history. They can't speak any human language, so during the silent era they're huge stars. Physical comedy is literally their native tongue. Then talkies arrive and overnight they're unemployable because nobody can understand a word they're saying. It's such an obvious joke in hindsight that I'm surprised nobody thought of it sooner. The whole movie is stuffed with silent film and old Hollywood references, so it works on two levels: kids get the slapstick, adults get the film history. And then the Minions do what Minions always do, which is go looking for an evil boss to serve. That's still the enduring joke of these characters. They desperately want to work for the biggest villain they can find, and they're so incompetent they destroy their own master's plans without ever realizing they did anything wrong. Chaos, never malice. There's even a bit confirming the Minions were frozen during World War II, so no, they weren't working for Hitler. That joke has floated around online for years and I laughed that the filmmakers addressed it head-on. What surprises me most is how badly this is doing at the box office, because I genuinely don't get it. My theory is the Minions became victims of their own popularity. The memes were everywhere a decade ago, people burned out on them culturally, and I think that's coloring how audiences see this movie now. Judged on its own merits, this is one of the best things Illumination has ever done. If you like Despicable Me, easy recommendation. If your kids like Despicable Me, even easier.