
Brainrot is probably the internet's favourite word right now. Anything that defies logic or common sense is instantly labelled as such
. And then comes a film like Minions & Monsters. Where do you even begin? How do you review something that's designed to be completely senseless, chaotic, yet somehow entertaining in the silliest way imaginable?
Directed by Pierre Coffin, the yellow, pint-sized creatures are back with a bang. The story follows the Minions, forever on the lookout for their next evil master after losing the previous one. During one such search, they accidentally end up being captured on film in the silent movie era.
Filmmakers are instantly fascinated by their chaotic antics, and soon, the Minions become overnight superstars. However, the arrival of sound in cinema brings their dream run to an end because, of course, they communicate in their own nonsensical language that nobody else understands.
One Minion, James, refuses to let that be the end of the story. Nursing big Oscar dreams, he decides to direct a film of his own: Minions & Monsters. With a bunch of monsters stepping in as his cast and crew, the film follows the chaotic process of bringing his cinematic vision to life. What unfolds is an imaginative adventure in which making the movie is just as entertaining as the movie itself.
Animated films have long been among the safest bets at the Indian box office, appealing to children and adults alike. And Minions & Monsters is no different, delivering exactly the kind of colourful, goofy entertainment that its audience expects.
The proceedings are kept as non-linear as possible, but the screenplay is engineered to ensure the audience never feels left behind. The narrative constantly circles back and provides enough cues for anyone who may have briefly zoned out to catch up. It's a smart choice for a film aimed not just at easily distracted children, but also at adults whose attention spans have been conditioned by the age of scrolling.
In many scenes, I found myself laughing out loud at the silliest antics unfolding on screen. The humour is juvenile, unabashedly absurd, landing simply because it commits so wholeheartedly to the madness. The Minions have always been reliable stress busters, and that remains true here, making this an easy recommendation for family audiences. That said, I couldn't shake off the feeling that the overall entertainment quotient is a notch below what the franchise is capable of. The laughs come in bursts, but they aren't quite as memorable as I had hoped.
Overall, Minions & Monsters doesn't ask you to think. In fact, it would probably prefer if you didn't. It asks you to laugh at the ridiculous and enjoy the ride. It's not the franchise at its funniest, but it's still the kind of harmless, feel-good entertainment that leaves you lighter than when you walked in.
Rishabh Suri writes for the daily Entertainment & Lifestyle supplement HT City. From Bollywood to Hollywood, from Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam films, to OTT and television- he covers it all.