Everyone’s favourite super villain turned goodish guy is back and this time we are taking a trip down memory lane to find out just how it is that Gru become the villain we all know and love.
Minions: The Rise of Gru is a cross-over event of sorts in that it is not completely a Minions movie but also not solely a Despicable Me movie. It lives somewhere in the headspace between the two.
We begin in 1976’s California with an insight into the latest heist from renowned bad guys The Villainous Six. Leader and founder Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin) is double-crossed by fellow team member Belle Bottom (Taraji P Henson) who stole the ancient all-powerful amulet from him that he stole originally, leaving him to fall to his assumed death. 
Gru (Steve Carell) is an 11 and 3-quarter-year-old child with dreams of one day being a super villain. While most kids at his school are picked up by loving parents he is greeted by his minions before blasting off home. The Minions have tracked Gru down after their brief run-in in the last movie via a help wanted ad and a whole heap of sad minion eyes. That is enough of that though, we are here for Gru and his dreams.
With the recent disappearance of Wild Knuckles Gru applies to join the Villainous Six and gets himself an interview at their headquarters hidden in plain sight underneath the local record store Criminal Records. Gru is unfortunately ridiculed due to his age and told to leave. During a moment of confusion Gru hatches a plan to steal the ancient amulet from right under their noses to show he has just what it takes to join them. Of course, their lunacy ensues with the Villainous Six and the assumed dead Wild Knuckles all after Gru and his minions, throwing everything they can at them in wacky scenarios and chase scenes. 
Unfortunately, Minions the Rise of Gru runs a little short on plot lines, jokes and that sense of joy that others in the franchise have been known for. I also noticed a lack of jokes that were aimed at the older audience that has always been hidden away in animated features to give the parents a laugh along the way. This is solely aimed at the younger generation though, even down to the overly long “Minion” speak sections of dialogue that seem to be more nonsense than being able to somewhat follow along.
Kevin, Stuart and Bob are there with their individual personalities once again turned up to eleven but this time they are joined by Otto sporting braces and an over-abundant need to talk and please that gets most of the storytime.
While I enjoyed Minions: The Rise of Gru it falls well short of its predecessors and may in all honesty have killed the series for most. The story tries to have a feel-good tone to it but it misses the mark and honestly would have done better just being left plain. 
My kids, on the other hand, loved it and after all, it is a movie for them. They were laughing at the over-the-top Minion moments and the slapstick comedy the Minions are known for. For them it was an awesome afternoon at the movies. For the parents out there, unfortunately, don’t go in expecting a Despicable Me level of enjoyment, piggyback off the kid’s laughter.