Stuart, Kevin, and Bob experience a wardrobe malfunctionIllumination Entertainment

I fell asleep both times I tried to watch Despicable Me and remember very little of Despicable Me 2, so it did not bode well for Minions. However, these little yellow sidekicks have clearly touched a nerve and are now an integral part of popular culture. The recent image of a giant inflatable Minion lying across a motorway disrupting traffic was perhaps the best summation of this now all-consuming behemoth.

Minions is a spin-off that serves as a prequel to the two aforementioned Despicable Me installments. The film begins with the creation of the Minions, followed by the journey that led them to the despicable Gru. A rather amusing introduction spans the history of the Earth and shows how the Minions have always been at the service of whoever, or whatever, has been the planet’s most wicked inhabitant. They are conveniently sidelined for a large chunk of the twentieth century, in order to avoid the inevitable conclusion that they would have worked for a certain Austrian-born leader of Germany. Three Minions eventually decide to brave the outside world so as to return the Minions to their former glory, and end up becoming embroiled in a plot to help Scarlett Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock) take the British crown.

Despite my documented disillusionment with this series and these characters, there is something to admire about the simplicity and universality of Minions. The gibberish language they speak and their reliance on slapstick comedy means that these are characters everybody can enjoy. In an age where big-budget comedy films are focusing less on the visual and more on improvisational dialogue, it is a refreshing throwback to see the approach taken by Minions. However, they ultimately cannot overcome the problem that plagues most side characters who are given their own movies. A little bit of Minion goes a long way, and even though Despicable Me 2 at times felt like a Minion solo movie, truly putting them on the centre stage serves to highlight the fact that they work best in small doses.

The slapstick simplicity of these small yellow goofballs can only take them so far, and they are underserved by a storyline and script which lack the wit and depth of other animated family films. Furthermore, the impressive voice cast is wasted; the limited script prevents many of the actors from demonstrating the full potential of their comedic talents. Jon Hamm and Sandra Bullock threatened to have something special going on as the villainous spouses, but they, like Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, and Steve Coogan, are all sidelined in order to sneak in yet another repetitive Minion set piece. I know it might sound incredibly pretentious to demand a lot from a film made for children, but much of this movie smacks of a creative team resting on its laurels, frequently going for the easy gag.

This is ultimately a film to sell merchandise and maintain a brand. The title is fitting: this is just about Minions and nothing else, and for much of its audience that will be enough – but it won’t stand the test of time. What we enjoy about these characters doesn’t necessitate watching this film: in ten years or so, short clips on Youtube will scratch that Minion itch. When the best of Pixar and even the best of Dreamworks has once more returned to the cinematic screen, Minions will be forgotten.