The newest addition to the “Despicable Me” movie franchise has brought a lot of young viewers back into theaters. “Minions: The Rise of Gru” was a standout film for the entire year in both sales and social impact. 

The film was an immediate hit, with it having such heavy social media anticipation. Viewers would dress up in Minion attire and formal clothing to watch the film. Many people would post about their trip to see the movie, making it a popular choice among the younger generation.

According to Universal Studios, the movie produced $125 million during its first week, with $108.5 million being produced in theaters, making it the fifth highest-grossing film of the year. While this isn’t very shocking, there was a surprising amount of teens making up about 30% of the audience, almost three times as much as the first “Minions” movie.

The plot was action-packed and continued the plot of the last movie, while also adding backstory to the “Despicable Me” films. The three main characters Kevin, Bob and Stuart meet their new leader, Gru, a kid with the goal of becoming the world’s greatest villain. Gru ends up being kidnapped and the minions go out on a mission to save him.

I didn’t find the film as good as the first “Minions movie,” but it worked well as a sequel and was worth all of the anticipation. It was cool to have some backstory to the other films and a good way to possibly stop making related movies. While many studios will try to branch out to appeal to audiences other than kids in obscure, cheugy ways, Universal Studios did a great job of not becoming embarrassing. Going into the film, I thought it may be, however, it was so much better than I expected. I was entertained the whole time and had some genuine laughs. I would absolutely recommend this movie to anyone.

A movie that is designed for children ended up being one of the best films I’ve seen all year. The ’70s setting adds a lot of charm to it through the design and the soundtrack. Adults would be able to enjoy this and reflect on it, while younger generations can enjoy the fun of it. It also helped excuse any of the things that may not have been funny, making it seem like a reference to the time.

The minions were classic, each with their own unique personality that makes them so humorous. And for such a tame, funny movie, there were times I was almost brought to tears.

Overall, I enjoyed every bit of the film. The music, the characters, the style, the plot… it was all up to par. The new “Minions” movie was the perfect way to get people of all ages back out into the theater. It was a humorous experience even for a teen. Bringing people together, rapid success, a popular internet joke and a good movie experience. What more could you ask for?