christian movie review minions the rise of gru

Minions: The Rise of Gru

Reviewed by: Eric Tiansay CONTRIBUTOR

What is SIN AND WICKEDNESS? Answer

T he fifth film in the “Despicable Me” franchise has gone retro and it’s far out, funky and groovy.

Set in the heart of the 1970s, amidst a flurry of feathered hair and flared jeans, “Minions: The Rise of Gru” tells the origin story of 12-year-old's Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) dream to become the world's greatest supervillain.

A sequel to “Minions,” which was a prequel to the first two films in the series, the animated movie provides fans more of what they’ve seen, specifically Gru acting nefarious, the lovable Minions acting silly, and lots of clever quips and gags that will go over young audiences’ heads but amuse grown ups.

Laugh out loud funny, The Rise of Gru is an entertaining and feel-good (albeit mindless) summer blockbuster that is mostly family-friendly. It’s certainly much more enjoyable than Pixar’s Lightyear!

The Illumination Studios movie, which features colorful, top-notch animation, espouses themes of sticking together, not giving up, loving others and discovering a family. Like the other titles in the franchise, the film features plenty of bathroom humor, including fart guns and limited views of buttocks nudity in scenes of comedy.

Also, small children may be scared by the supervillains who become scarier toward the film’s end. Additionally, Catholics may take offense with a nun character with nunchuks who is portrayed as a villain.

Speaking of which, Gru is a fanboy of a supervillain supergroup known as the Vicious 6--Wild Knuckles ( Alan Arkin ), Belle Bottom ( Taraji P. Henson ), Jean Clawed ( Jean-Claude Van Damme ), Svengeance ( Dolph Lundgren ), Nunchuk ( Lucy Lawless ) and Stronghold ( Danny Trejo ).

Gru hatches a plan to become evil enough to join them. Fortunately, he gets some mayhem-making back-up from his loyal followers, the Minions. Together, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto--a new Minion sporting braces and a desperate need to please—deploy their skills as they and Gru build their first lair, experiment with their first weapons, and pull off their first missions.

So when the Vicious 6 oust their leader, legendary fighter Wild Knuckles, Gru interviews to become their newest member. It doesn't go well (to say the least), and only gets worse after Gru outsmarts them and suddenly finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil.

On the run, Gru will turn to an unlikely source for guidance, Wild Knuckles, and discover that even bad guys need a little help from their friends. Meanwhile, the Minions receive some kung fu lessons from unassuming acupuncturist Master Chow (Michelle Yeoh).

Part of what “The Rise of Gru” makes a fun movie is its lively soundtrack, including classic '70s hits such as “Like an Eagle,” “Dance to the Music,” ”Black Magic Woman,” “You’re No Good” and “Funkytown.”

“The Rise of Gru” is another example of Hollywood’s penchant for milking a cash cow movie series. But unlike some other franchises (I’m calling you out, “Fast and Furious”), the “Despicable Me” films are amusing and believable.

The “Despicable Me” franchise—“Despicable Me” (2010). “Despicable Me 2” (2013), “Minions” (2015) and “Despicable Me 3” (2017)—have grossed more than $3.7 billion globally.

“The Rise of Gru,” which has garnered a 92 percent audience score and 69 percent critics grade on Rotten Tomatoes, is expected to illuminate the July 4 weekend box office with a $70 million debut. The film reportedly has an $85 million budget.

Featuring no deep meaning or higher message, “The Rise of Gru” is a simple carefree movie that presents another feel-good dose of bad behavior , which likely will be despicably welcomed by some audiences.

Content Watch: “The Rise of Gru” is rated PG for some action/violence and rude humor. There are frequent burps and fart jokes, but no profanity. Nunchuk shouts Hallelujah, but not as a praise to God. The movie’s plot device, the Zodiac Stone, has some type of special powers that is not fully explained. A character does yoga and there are New Age references, including a guru. There are comedic sequences of physical combat and slapstick violence, involving kicks and punches which are shown in slow-motion but without any injury detail. Villains magically transform into monsters who attack protagonists. A character is tied to the hands of a clock, which causes him to stretch alarmingly, but he is rescued before actual damage occurs.

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers .

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.

Minions: The Rise of Gru (Christian Movie Review)

Verdict: A noisy and disjoined film that offers some funny isolated gags, but very little substance or heart.   

About The Movie

Illumination Studios is back, sparking an important debate: are the minions funny or just annoying?

While it often feels like the gibbering yellow marshmallows are everywhere in culture, it’s been 5 years since they last scampered onto a movie screen. Yet, nothing has really changed. As with the original spinoff, Minions (2015), The Rise of Gru is cinematic cotton candy. There is nothing of nutritional value to be found. The movie offers a quick sugar high.

Let’s start with the positives. As expected, there are some hilarious moments. In an era in which animated films often strive for emotional storytelling and explore mature themes, the Minions maintain the spirit of classic cartoons like the Loony Tunes . I watched the movie with my 7-year-old twin boys, and they laughed throughout.  

Unfortunately, the problem is that there isn’t much else of value. The zany humor that works well in small doses in the Despicable Me films becomes tiresome when stretched into a feature-length movie. Like an overindulgence of sugar, eventually it stops being enjoyable and just leaves you with a headache. It seems that the filmmakers had a collection of ideas for crazy Minion hijinks and then pieced them together with the thinnest of narrative threads. As a result, The Rise of Gru unfolds more like a series of disconnected gags or SNL sketches rather than as a unified story.

Also noticeably missing is the touching relationship between Gru and his three adopted daughters that provided the heart of the Despicable Me movies. There are attempts to fill that emotional void, such as through the storyline of Gru bonding with a grandfatherly supervillain he grew up idolizing or his growing parental relationship with the minions. But the barrage of gags doesn’t give these moments room to breathe.

I didn’t dislike Minions: Rise of Gru . It was exactly the type of movie I expected it to be. I’m just not sure I enjoyed it all that much. My kids laughed while watching it, but they were already talking about other things by the time we left the movie theatre’s parking lot. Overall, while good for some laughs, it felt uninspired. The minions themselves may be indestructible, immortal creatures, but I think their charm is reaching the end of the road.     

For Consideration

Profanity: None, although there are several utterances of “what the heck” and a few other rude words (“stupid,” “idiot,” etc.).

Violence: None.

Sexuality: None.

Other: The movie contains several elements that some Christian parents may find offensive, although the film does not necessarily present them in an offensive way. Two hippy characters (the film is set in 1976) are shown doing strange and almost psychedelic yoga (they’re making weird grunts and sounds), and it’s implied that one smells strongly of marijuana. The story also revolves around the mystical “Zodiac Stone” that can turn anyone into the animals of the Chinese Zodiac (you see the spirits of the animals come out of the stone and into the characters, though it’s not depicted as demonic possession or anything spiritual). Lastly, a kung-fu master teaches characters to “find your inner beast,” which inflames their eyes and allows them to unleash their rage on their enemies and use mystical kung-fu powers (sending blasts of wind, etc.). It is clearly presented as a classic martial art trope, not as anything spiritual or demonic, but it is something for parents to consider (you can get an idea of it by watching the movie’s trailers). Lastly, one of the villains is named Nun-chuck and, as expected, she is nun who uses nunchucks. I personally found the character mildly amusing and harmless, but some Christian viewers might find the character blasphemous or offensive.   

Engage The Film

Living life in a community.

The Rise of Gru isn’t a deep movie, and there is very little going on “beneath the surface.” That’s not necessarily a bad thing (it’s okay for movies simply to entertain rather than explore deeper themes), but it also means there isn’t a whole lot for Christians to engage with.

Amidst the zany Minion shenanigans, there is a wholesome message. The story highlights the importance of community and doing life together (even if that life involves being a despicable supervillain). The Minions are trying to establish a life with Gru after their nomadic existence in Minions (2015). Gru is striving to find his place in the world of supervillains, first by trying to join the famous Vicious 6 and then by embracing his own crew with the minions. Gru summarizes the theme at the end of the film: “He taught me what really matters. You can’t do anything alone. Find your tribe and never let them go.”  

Gru’s newfound understanding is a biblical one: “Then God said ‘It is not good for the man to be alone’” ( Genesis 2:18 ), or “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” ( Hebrews 10:24-25 ). While not anti-family, the movie emphasizes the importance of community and “found family.” My favorite scene in the film depicts the unexpected friendship between a minion and a seemingly gruff and intimidating biker. They form a touching bond, and it’s clear that both are encouraged and blessed by the other.

Daniel holds a PhD in "Christianity and the Arts" from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author/co-author of multiple books and he speaks in churches and schools across the country on the topics of Christian worldview, apologetics, creative writing, and the Arts.

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How many Minion movies have there been?

First off, outside of two of the Despicable Me movies, I have not gone to see the other movies in this franchise. (Please don’t hate me, but I really don’t see the appeal of the minions). I mostly see and review Disney movies with an occasional other movie thrown in for good luck, but with Disney declaring war on the Christian family , my youngest son, (Jack-Jack 17 and autistic) is one of the casualties caught in the crosshairs. He desperately wants to see movies in the theater. So in an attempt to broaden our horizons, we decided to see Minions: The Rise of Gru. Here is my Christian Movie Review, and visit here to see how I review movies.

I attempt to answer your questions regarding this movie, and let you know any content that may be troublesome before you see it yourself.

Minions: The Rise of Gru Christian Movie Review Synopsis

From Universal Pictures: When the infamous supervillain supergroup, the Vicious 6, oust their leader—legendary martial arts fighter Wild Knuckles (Oscar® winner Alan Arkin)— Gru, their most devoted fanboy, interviews to become their newest member. The Vicious 6 is not impressed by the diminutive, wannabe villain, but then Gru outsmarts (and enrages) them, and he suddenly finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil. With Gru on the run, the Minions attempt to master the art of kung fu to help save him, and Gru discovers that even bad guys need a little help from their friends. 

Gru (Steve Carell) is an 11-year-old boy. When asked in school what he wants to be when he grows up, he quickly answers “a super villain.” While most little boys are hoping to be firefighters, police officers, or superheroes, Gru is drawn to the criminal life. 

Before you say, 11-year-old boys don’t want to be firefighters or astronauts anymore – remember this movie is set during the 1970s. 

Gru has his own team in the Minions, but he doesn’t have cool gadgets or formal training. Kevin, Stuart, and Bob are the main minions we see in this movie. Otto is a braces-wearing minion. 

When he fails to impress the leader of the Vicious 6, who demands that he doesn’t return until he has done something evil to impress her, Gru steals the Zodiac Stone. Then when he is almost caught, he gives the stone to one of the Minions who trades it for a pet rock. When Gru goes looking for the stone, he ends up getting kidnapped by his favorite super villain.

Will the Minions find Gru? Will Gru become the ultimate villain? Because this is a prequel, you obviously know the answer to these questions! 

Minions: The Rise of Gru Christian Movie Review

What parents may want to know.

The Good: Overall this movie was pretty tame content-wise. The animated violence was nothing extreme. This movie is so similar to other movies within this franchise, so there really is not much that you won’t expect.

Even villains have a sweet side, and Gru is mostly kind and caring with his minions. 

Potentially Objectionable Content:

While there is very little in the language department, there is plenty of innuendos. Furthermore, there is plenty of words such as stupid, idiot, heck, and sucker. “Holy Guacamole” is stated.

The song from KC and the Sunshine Bank, “Get Down Tonight” plays – “Do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight.”

There is plenty of violence and yet nobody is really hurt. A man falls a very far distance into a river. It is presumed he is dead. Later you see the character alive.

In an Indiana Jones or Romancing the Stone moment, a man is almost killed by spikes, and you do see skulls from previous people. 

A man is attacked by golden evil statues.

There are car wrecks, vans flipping over, crashed vehicles, and high-speed chases through the streets. A house is destroyed. A minion is set on fire and one is hit with a hammer.

Furthermore, there are many fights throughout the movie. 

Gru is tied to a clock on a clock tower. He is also tied to a giant record player with a spinning blade that inches toward him. He is dangled over the edge of a balcony. 

Sexual Content:

Gru gets out of the bath and his towel drops below his butt crack as he is drying, and you see him put on his underwear. You see Minion butts too.

Minions dress as women and put tennis balls in their dresses for look like women. 

Other Content – Spiritual:

One of the Vicious 6 is dressed as a nun and named Nun-Chuck. Her nunchucks are in the shape of a cross.

Someone calls a person a demon child. A woman does yoga and meditates.

The Zodiac Stone is based on the signs of the zodiac. Furthermore, it is mystical and it’s powers allow people to transform into supernatural beasts. Animal spirits are depicted several times. 

An acupuncturist/kung fu master teaches the Minions how to “channel their inner beast” which causes glowing red eyes and they blast people with their voices.

The minions dress as angels.

Cheating/Lying: Gru cheats to get what he wants. The minions also do some deceitful things.

A man fakes a heart attack to rob a bank. 

Gru releases a fart bomb in a movie theater so he can watch the movie without others in the theater. 

Teachable Moments:

While Gru has the opportunity to let his kidnapper die, he ends up saving him. Talk to your kids about compassion and doing the right thing even when you should want to seek revenge.

Additionally, Gru does some mean things – he acts like a bully – such as eating ice cream outside the window of a gym. As a Christian, why would this be something you shouldn’t do?

My Review Recommendations:

Minions: The Rise of Gru is the most boring film I have seen in a long time. I actually nodded off in the theater, something I rarely do. I personally think this franchise is overdone, but my 17-year-old autistic son loved it and so did other kids in the theater.

Warning: The following is said tongue in cheek and should not be construed to be actually parenting advice. I am certain that this movie is just a compilation of a series of other movies with minions thrown in for good luck. Save yourself a lot of money, get old Despicable Me/minion movies from the library and let your kids watch those until they are super bored. Then when this comes out streaming, convince them that they already saw this movie! 

References to other movies:

Jaws is playing in the movie theater

Additionally, a man rides a motorcycle through Death Valley- Easy Rider

The opening song is very James Bond ish!

A very Indiana Jones-like heist

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – is the title a play on that?

Mystery Machine van – Scooby-Doo

References to Actual Places:

San Francisco is prominent in this movie as is the Golden Gate Bridge.

Old St. Mary’s Cathedral clock is featured.

Fisherman’s Wharf

Pacific Coast Highway

The Painted Ladies – row houses in San Francisco

Additional References: A Mad Max magazine from 1961 with Richard Nixon on the cover – before he was President.

The cast of Minions: The Rise of Gru – Christian Movie Review

Steve Carrell as Gru

Alan Arkin as Wild Knuckles

Taraji P. Henson as Belle Bottom

Michelle Yeoh as Master Chow

Julie Andrews as Gru’s Mom

Russell Brand as Nefarious

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Jean-Clawed

Dollops Lundgren as Svengeance

Danny Trejo as Stronghold

Lucy Lawless as Nun-Chuck

Pierre Coffin as the Minions

Rating: PG 

Release Date: July 1, 2022

Run Time: 87 minutes

Director: Kyle Balda

Co-Director: Brad Ableson

Jonathan del Val

Producers: Chris Meledandri

Janet Healy

Chris Renau

Frequently Asked Questions:

When Will this movie be released on DVD?

As of this point, the date of this has not been released yet.

Is this movie available for streaming?

Currently, this movie is not available on streaming on Netflix, Amazon, or any other service. It is only in theaters.

How Many Minion movies have there been?

Despicable Me (2010) – First film in the franchise 

Despicable Me 2 (2013)

Minions (2015)

Despicable Me 3 (2017)

Reviewing movies for parents from a Christian perspective since 2005. Know Before You Go!

Christian Homeschooling mom – 30 years and counting

Autism Mom & Disney enthusiast

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Schooling with disney’s pinocchio movie plus review, 4 thoughts on “minions: the rise of gru christian movie review”.

Hi, I wanted to say thanks because this is our dollar movie this week at the theater and I wanted to check a Christian parent review. Oh and my 8 year old son is autistic as well and we were checking out this movie last minute because expected plans changed and I was scrambling to find a good way to change the plan for him. Blessings.

Did you see the movie? I hope it all worked out for you.

This review was excellent. Subscribed! Our family is in the same boat – wanting to watch movies in theater – except my boys never liked Disney. (“Why do they always kill the mother???!!!”). Seriously, my eldest was traumatized by Nemo back in preschool. His teacher had to come find me in the library, where I volunteered, to explain that he was sitting in the hall outside the classroom because after the opening scene, he refused to watch the end of year movie any further. She explained that “this is all we are doing today… can he come on upstairs with you?” When I picked him up, he was near tears. “Why do all my friends like to watch all the movies like this and I do not?!” I told him that God had blessed him with a sensitive heart and there was nothing wrong with him not liking those movies!!! He would find movies that had better stories. That he had a wonderful understanding of the world, stories, and imagination. Two of his favorite childhood movies were Cars and The Lego Movie. Later, the LOTR trilogy and Marvel movies (with criticism at the ready!). Loved Ford vs. Ferrari. He now tolerates my husband’s suggestions of our favorite movies from 80’s and 90’s. But does not like many of them. ET: is not magical, but depressing. He declared Top Gun to be “terrible… where is the plot?” but was delighted to see Maverick ON THE BIG SCREEN. Story line, character arcs, musical score, and oh – the flight action! : ) Now this young man hopes to film good stories. He is fully able to discern what to see in theaters now, but is still near impossible to find movies worthy of taking our youngest to see. Too many films ostensibly for young children are determined to be intense psychological onslaughts, have super sexy baddies, or are full of bizarre cultural messaging. (Red Panda anyone?) I think I gave up on Hollywood while watching one of the SW prequels and restraining myself from standing up, shaking a fist at the screen, and shouting “EAT the Porg, Chewie.. EAT THE PORG!”

I guess I am still really hoping that this is just a bad period for Disney movies, similar to the 70s and 80s.

God bless your son. He sounds like a wonderful human.

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Minions: The Rise of Gru

Dove Review

When 11-year-old Gru (Steve Carell) gets kidnapped for displaying great courage in an effort to prove his villainy, his ever-faithful Minions (Pierre Coffin) come to the rescue: Kevin, Stuart, and Bob are back at the head of the gang, and a new Minion, Otto, is an welcome addition to the crew as a braces-sporting people-pleaser. It’s the 1970s, and the soundtrack of this movie never lets us forget it – just about very Karen Carpenter and popular funky song of the day is in the background setting the scene, as this origin film is a prequel to the ever popular Despicable Me franchise. Gru has not yet grown into the villain he will become, and as a cute youngster with a big dream, and always out to make trouble, we are asked to once again root for the bad guy. I found myself questioning if this is really the message we want to expose young children to, but the film’s charming portrayal is somewhat endearing nonetheless.

Gru is trying to break into the world of villainy, and when a position opens up with the world famous “Vicious 6,” he does all he can to get the job. When that goal seems out of reach, Gru goes about making his own way, and teams up with Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), the ousted Vicious 6 leader with a vendetta of his own, to beat the popular villains at their own game. With an amulet that is patterned after the characters of the Chinese calendar acting as the holy grail, everyone is scheming to possess the power it holds. Gru lucks out and ends up on the run, and he and Wild Knuckles work together to beat the Vicious 6 at their own game.

Expected antics ensue as chase scenes, martial arts fighting, and slapstick violence reigns. The mischievous Minions are typically in and out of trouble, but remain loyal to their favorite villain Gru, as they employ teamwork to outsmart even worse villains than themselves, coming off as the heroes. There are a few scenes that could frighten children when characters transform into giant Chinese dragons and snakes; breath fire on other characters; and wreak overall havoc, but all of this is done in fairly benign cartoon-style portrayals. As bad as they all are, they portray some good qualities by loving their friends, and even sacrificing themselves for others.

The Dove Take

This high-energy take on the early years of Gru the villain don’t reveal many surprises, but it is entertaining enough to hold a place in the hearts of Minion lovers.

Dove Rating Details

Gru and Wild Knuckles are faithful to one another and rescue each other from danger.

Slapstick violence, explosions, destruction, and fight scenes.

Gru is seen with part of his buttocks showing, and in his underwear.

Villainous characters are transformed into giant, roaring, fire-breathing dragons and similar animals that represent the Chinese Calendar and could be frightening for very young children.

More Information

Film information, dove content.

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Movie review: ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’

A ‘70s vibe adds verve to the animated origin story “Minions: The Rise of Gru” (Universal).

Thus, director Kyle Balda’s addition to a franchise that began with 2010’s “Despicable Me” draws on such nostalgic tropes as blaxploitation movies, kung fu films and Tupperware parties, not to mention the memorable – for better or worse – music of the period.

The result is a generally wholesome and breezy bit of entertainment. But a minor ingredient in the mix plays on Catholic sensibilities in a way that may prove slightly grating to parents of faith.

At the height of the disco era, paradoxically good-hearted would-be supervillain Gru (voice of Steve Carell) is a still a preteen boy living with his overbearing mother (voice of Julie Andrews). Yet he already yearns to join the Vicious 6, a crew of famed criminals founded by martial arts master Wild Knuckles (voice of Alan Arkin).

In an effort to impress his heroes, Gru swipes a jewel-studded pendant endowed with magical powers that can be used for evil purposes. But complications imperil him, and the Minions – the diminutive, comically incomprehensible creatures whom he’s taken under his wing – scramble to rescue their beloved leader.

The laughs provoked by screenwriter Matthew Fogel’s script come frequently and its emphasis on loyalty, teamwork and true friendship is pleasing. But the fact that the Vicious 6 numbers among its members a traditionally habited religious sister called – what else? – Nun-Chuck (voice of Lucy Lawless) may not sit well with some viewers.

Initially present simply to play up her punning moniker, Nun-Chuck’s fleeting screen time is mostly devoted to harmless sight gags. Yet she does make the sign of the cross at one point and consistently holds her hands together in a prayerlike pose.

While impressionable moviegoers should probably not be introduced to the subtleties of what is or is not acceptable about this silly character, teens – like their elders – will easily shrug off the momentary lapses of taste involved in her depiction. Then they can return to riding along with the rollicking, though sometimes diffuse, proceedings.

The film contains much comic mayhem, brief irreverent and mild scatological humor and glimpses of partial rear cartoon nudity. The Catholic News Service classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG – parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

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4 Things Parents Should Know about Minions: The Rise of Gru

• Michael Foust Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
• Updated Jul 01, 2022

Gru is an unusual 11-year-old boy with odd interests and awkward goals.

His classmates want to be teachers and firefighters when they grow up. Gru, though, has different goals.

"I want to be a super-villain," Gru tells his teacher.

In today's world, that would spark a trip to the principal's office followed by a long talk with the school counselor. Unfortunately for Gru, he's living in a different era: 1976.

During class, he draws pictures of his favorite super-villains: the "Vicious 6." At home, he stares at their poster on his bedroom wall, dreaming of joining their ranks. As for hobbies, Gru does what any future super-villain would do: He steals ice cream. He sneaks into theaters (to watch Jaws ). He cheats at the arcade.

And then Gru gets his big break: The Vicious 6 needs a replacement for one of its members – and it wants Gru to interview for the job. Sure, Gru is only a kid – but he's also driven. And talented. And smart.

Will the Vicious 6 let Gru into its elite group?

The new film Minions: The Rise of Gru (PG) tells the story of Gru and the Vicious 6. It stars the voice talents of Steve Carell as Gru, Julie Andrews as his mom, Taraji P. Henson as the villain known as Belle Bottom, and Alan Arkin as Wild Knuckles, another villain.

Here are four things parents should know:

Photo courtesy: ©Universal

1. It's the Backstory to Despicable Me

In Rise of Gru , we learn how an 11-year-old Gru met the minions. We learn how he met his scientist cohort, Dr. Nefario. Alas, we don't learn much about why Gru turned to a life of villainy, although the previous films hinted at an answer (he was bullied).

2. It's Villains vs. Villains

"Come back when you've done something to impress me," Belle Bottom says.

Gru wastes no time getting their attention by stealing their much-coveted Zodiac Stone – which has supernatural powers – and speeding away from their secluded hideaway (which was hidden under a store named Criminal Records).

Although Gru makes it safely back to his house, he loses the Zodiac Stone in the process. (You can blame a minion for that.) The plot takes a turn when Wild Knuckles kidnaps Gru and demands that the minions find the Zodiac Stone. (Wild Knuckles even threatens to harm him.) Of course, Belle Bottom and her Vicious 6 partners are searching for the Zodiac Stone, too – and destroying nearly everything in their path.

3. It's All About the 70s

For children and fans of the 1970s, Rise of Gru is, well, funky.

A billboard in the opening scene tells us it's 1976 – the bicentennial birthday of the United States. Gru watches the 1970s classic Jaws (which, indeed, enjoyed a 1976 theatrical re-release after becoming the top-grossing film of 1975). He is given a pet rock (which was one of the weirdest toy fads of the decade). His interview invitation arrives on an eight-track tape. (If you're new to that one, then Google it – it's too hard to explain). He even makes a phone call on a rotary phone (hilariously, a bird dozes off during the lengthy process).

Then there are the clothing styles. Like big hair. And big collars. And bell bottoms. (My 10-year-old son whispered innocently to me, "What's up with those pants?")

Rise of Gru has plenty of 1970s music, too: Linda Ronstadt's You're No Good is a major part of the plot. We also hear Funkytown, Dance to the Music and Born to Be Alive , among others. Many of the songs are covers, but that's OK.

4. It's Hilarious … but not Redemptive

Rise of Gru is the first chapter in a redemptive film series about a villain-turned-good guy. Thus, you won't get any major positive lessons in this one, even if there are a few. (The minions display impressive selflessness and self-sacrifice by trying to save Gru after he had fired them. Gru, for his part, ends the film with a decent speech about the importance of friends and "never ever" letting go of them – although he also references the "terrible things that I'm going to do" in the future.) The film contains no coarse language (we hear "heck"), no sexuality (although we do see the posteriors of Gru and the minions), and mostly only Looney Tunes-style violence.

(Knuckles ties Gru to a massive disco turntable and threatens to slice him with a giant, slow-moving saw.)

The film's final 20 minutes might frighten sensitive children, as we watch the Vicious 6 turn into skyscraper-sized monsters (among them: a giant snake and a dragon). The plot also touches on the supernatural with its employment of the Zodiac Stone and Eastern mysticism. (The three Despicable Me films included crazy gadgets but – for the most part – not the supernatural.) It's also worth noting that one of the villains is a nun in disguise (she wears a cross that doubles as nunchucks).

The minions and their crazy antics, though, are the star of Rise of Gru . We watch them fly an airplane. (During one brief moment, the passengers experience weightlessness.) We see them learn karate (their lack of patience tests the teacher's patience). We even see one of them jump a canyon on a Big Wheel.

Rise of Gru  doesn't tug at your heart like the Despicable Me series. But it's still hilarious and fun.

Rated PG for some action/violence and rude humor.

Entertainment rating ; 4 out of 5 stars.

Family-friendly rating : 4 out of 5 stars.

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

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Have You Seen . . . ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’?

by Christian Standard | 19 August, 2022 | 0 comments

Movies bring people of all backgrounds together like few other events. People talk for weeks about a movie they love. We want to provide talking points to help you take those conversations with family and friends to a deeper, spiritual level. Starting from this common ground, you can find opportunities to share your own faith experience with others. Now, get some popcorn and let’s dive in!  

_ _ _  

Minions: The Rise of Gru  

PG • 2022 • Animated Comedy/Adventure • 1 hour 27 minutes   

Starring these voices: Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Taraji P. Henson, Michelle Yeoh, Russell Brand   

_ _ _ 

By Andrew Wood  

Minions: The Rise of Gru is the latest installment of a franchise that has become as popular with adults as children. At first glance the Minions—funny little guys who look like Tic Tacs wearing overalls—might seem like mere comic relief. Watch a little closer, though, and you’ll find food for thought to discuss with children and their parents. 

From previous films in this franchise, we know Gru as an arch-villain wannabe who is served by a chaotic army of Minions. Aside from driving an atrociously polluting vehicle and freezing people to get to the front of the coffee line, Gru’s villainy tends to be of the fantastic grand theft variety—stealing world landmarks and celestial bodies.  

We also know there’s goodness in Gru, as much as he tries to hide it. From adopting children, to finding romantic love, to throwing the occasional compliment to his Minions, the good can’t help but slip out now and then. Are people basically good or basically evil? Gru, it seems, is some of both. 

Minions: The Rise of Gru shows us how it all began, with Gru, as a young boy, dreaming of becoming a supervillain like his heroes, the Vicious 6. Led by Belle Bottom, a 1970s-era disco diva, the Vicious 6 team includes cleverly named members with unique abilities. A surprising but hilarious member is Nunchuck, a nun who wields nunchucks and flies in a vehicle made to look like a pipe organ. Funny as she is, her scenes can cause children to associate Christian symbolism with danger. 

Gru fails in his attempt to join the group but manages to steal from them a mystical Chinese artifact—the Zodiac Stone—that can transform the owner into a gigantic creature from Chinese astrology. Disaster strikes when a Minion trades the stone for a pet rock, and Gru is kidnapped by another villain. Minions Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto embark on cross-country journeys to retrieve the magical artifact and free Gru. This leads to many laughs and culminates in a showdown with the Vicious 6 in which the Minions, in their bumbling way, manage to save the day almost despite themselves. 

Some Christian viewers will have valid concerns with the centrality of magic and Eastern mysticism in the plot. However, for those who choose to view the movie with their children, this part of the story can open conversations about reality versus fantasy, why Christians don’t attempt to do magic, and exploration of Chinese and other ancient Asian cultures. 

A key emphasis of the film is valuing the elderly—an important point at which Chinese culture connects with the Christian worldview. The real villains in this movie insult, harass, and exclude the elderly, while Gru and his Minions seek them out as valuable sources of wisdom. It is perhaps the most valuable lesson for all ages in the movie.   

The Minions’ appeal to all ages with their comedic antics and the gobbledygook they speak, which offers a continually satisfying puzzle of deciphering their meaning based on contextual clues. And as Gru tries to hide his good, the Minions put theirs on full display. They’re loyal to a fault, affectionate to Gru and to each other, and display far greater courage than is justified by their limited abilities. Their mistakes inject maddening chaos into the best-laid plans, but somehow those same Minions are who pull it all together in the end. In this, we might see echoes of God’s own people. Used and abused by the world. Weak and foolish. Objects of ridicule. Yet in the end, these ultimate underdogs come out on top. 

Life lesson: If you’re going to be a Minion, choose your Master well.     

DISCUSSION POINTS  

If you’d like to engage with others about this movie, but on a deeper level, try some of these questions. Because we’re reviewing a children’s movie, we have separate questions for children and their parents. 

For children:   

• Are Gru and his Minions bad guys or good guys? How can you tell? 
• How do the Minions show that they are good friends to Gru? How can you be a good friend? 
• Were you scared of Nunchuck? Would you like me to explain who real nuns are? 
• Is magic real or make believe? Why do you think Christians don’t do magic? 
• What did Gru and the Minions learn from old people? Who is an older person you can learn from? 

For adults:  

• Do you think movies like this blur the lines between good and evil too much? 
• Were you ever scared of Christian people or symbols? Why is that? Has that changed? 
• At what age is it appropriate to introduce children to other religious worldviews? Is it important to you that your children share your religious views? 
• How well do you think our society handles aging? How can we get generations connected to one another again? 
• What would it be like if we had the same attitude as the Minions? Would we have less stress and still achieve our goals?  

Andrew Wood, a former missionary to Ukraine and associate professor at Nebraska Christian College, is a freelance writer and serves in marketing and advertising sales with Christian Standard Media.  

Christian Standard

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