It is no surprise to learn that the two main creators (as directors) behind Minions & Monsters are French animators Pierre Coffin & Patrick Delage. The aesthetics at play here feel very European, and it’s a much more interesting film because of it. Paying homage to a period of Hollywood history that gets little love from modern audiences is a risky venture in what is generally seen as a kids’ film.
Starting with a wonderful animated homage to the groundbreaking work of Charles Chaplin, this sets things off in a unique way. Old-school fans will pick up on the references to films like Modern Times and The Great Dictator, while the rest of the audience will hopefully react with a smile. There is a purity of intent in giving a nod to the past that runs counter to most American animated output.
There is also risk in having the majority of the language being used sounding almost indecipherable, but as typoglycemia works on the written text, you are soon able to understand way more than you originally thought you could. Being set in the roaring twenties also opens things up as you catch the little yellow orbs through a mythical jaunt that lands them in Hollywood during its transition from the silent era to the town’s Golden Age.
The love and care for the medium shines through, and its wild swings of imagination make one think that there was very little influence of the dreaded test market screenings that often blight originality in this art form. It will be very interesting to see if this unique approach yields rewards in a genre that often rewards conservative filmmaking.
Rob Hudson
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