Only today, July 1st, the premiere of the animated film "Minions & Monsters" took place, and critics' ratings have already appeared online. Judging by those early scores, this outing seems to fare better than many previous spin-offs and sequels from the "Despicable Me" universe. In the plot, the Minions decide to shoot a horror movie — but they need a monster. So yes, they summon Cthulhu (e.g., other creatures turn up too) and embark on a monster-hunting spree.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the critics' score sits at 89% (based on 55 reviews). That places the film ahead of several earlier entries in the franchise:
- "Despicable Me 2" (2013) — 75%;
- "Minions" (2015) — 55%;
- "Despicable Me 3" (2017) — 58%;
- "Minions: The Rise of Gru" (2022) — 70%;
- "Despicable Me 4" (2024) — 56%.
Many critics call the cartoon brisk and entertaining. The pacing rarely drags; scenes often land without turning into filler. Reviewers even say the movie "does not turn the brain into mush," and that it manages to feel "a tribute to old Hollywood" while working as a solid family comedy — you can sense the creators' affection for the material. On the flip side, some voices complain the franchise is being milked for profit, and that several new characters are indistinct, more backdrop than fully drawn personalities. A few also categorize the film as a fairly typical disaster-movie riff.
Ratings could shift as more reviews come in. Audiences will weigh in, too, and their verdict may differ from critics'. Recall: direction came from Pierre Coffin — director of the original 2010 animated film — and the screenplay is by Brian Lynch ("Puss in Boots").