Minions: The Rise of Gru review | The Minions in an easy-ridin' origin story that takes you to funky town!

Gru is 11 and three quarters and the Minions are ageless in this fun origin story. (Image source: Illumination/Universal Pictures via AP)

‘I want to be the world’s best supervillain!’ The little boy says, and as "Funky Town" begins to play, you bob your head to the beat and watch what becomes a fab, fab, fab ‘origin’ story.

You start by grinning at the screen when the eye-popping graphics tell you that the supervillains whom little Gru idolises are called Nun-Chuck, Belle Bottom, Svengeance, Strong Hold Wild Knuckles and yes, Jean Clawed! And you don’t stop. Grinning, I mean. Because you are old enough to catch most of the pop-culture references as well as characters you have seen in the Minions and Despicable Me movies!

Here is help, but first, play "Funky Town" as you read on:

Can you name the Minions in the movies? Sure! Bob, Stuart, Dave and, in this film, Otto! They’re madder and wilder and funnier. And you love them even if they lose the magic pendant and make it up with a pet rock!

Pet rock, pogo sticks and a Tupperware party make this ‘period’ story perfect! And you will want to pause the movie and begin dancing in the theatre because you have seen your older cousins go misty-eyed about roller skating rinks that played Linda Ronstadt…

If it actually happened, you’d see so many grown-ups in the theatre dancing in their seats with you. Plus, you’ll spot Dr Nefariao, and even Peter Fonda, on his iconic Easy Rider Harley motorbike (Gru has a pimped-up children’s version) and yes, Mr Perkins at the Bank Of Evil (his son - Vector - who grows up to steal the moon) also shows up! Gru’s mom remains in character and you grin even wider with the yoga guru scene…

Then you’re distracted again by music. First by "Black Magic Woman" by Santana and then this:

There are many scenes about farts and pants pulled down to reveal butts, making the kids in the audience laugh out loud. After all, Gru is only 11 and ¾ years old. And the minions are of course indefatigable and immortal. How the Minions find Gru will make you hold hands with the person you’re watching with (and you realise that after complaining about being dragged to a kiddie film, they’re enjoying themselves too!). Yes, that's Karen Carpenter’s song ("Goodbye To Love") you’re humming and John Lennon is in there too, talking about Karma…

If you’ve watched Karate Mani in action in Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota or any Karate-Kung-Fu Chop Sockey movie, then you know in order to wear Bruce Lee’s iconic yellow tracksuit, even Mia Wallance (Uma Thurman) in Pulp Fiction had to learn from a master. The Kung-Fu lessons are so much fun to watch, you want to yell, ‘Kiai!’ like Karate Kid. Minions learning Kung Fu from Michelle Yeoh is really a cool set piece of the movie.

The finale is so satisfying, but not before you notice the tanning mirror, ‘World’s Best Grandpa’ tee and the animation is so perfect, you know your grandpa walked exactly like that. A Beau Brummel mince because the bones cracked each time he took a step. This is a hat-doff moment to the animators who do such a brilliant job. And you notice the love that went into creating different hair for each of the Minions.

Thank you for noticing Kyle, Gru’s wild dog who makes an appearance, and give yourself a pat on the back for recognising the homage to Robbie Knieval’s world record setting jump across the Grand Canyon (his dad Evel Knieval did not get permission from the Park authorities to jump across the 60 metres chasm at the Hualapai Indian Reservation).

If kids accompany you, they will come out having snorted cola out of their noses, their tee shirt fronts (and hands) sticky with cheese and caramel popcorn) because the film is really funny. You will come away wishing for those days of long hair and bell bottoms and big buckles and songs (you even played some of them backwards), humming a song (not in the film but you caught the reference), ‘I was made for lovin’ you, Minions, and you were made for lovin’ me!’