Minions & Monsters

What’s it about?

James, Henry and Ed set out on a mission to become filmmakers and stars, dreaming of winning an Oscar rather than following in the footsteps of their fellow minions, who are determined to serve the ultimate "big boss" on a path of evil. Along the way, a series of enchantments brings monsters to life to star in their movie about minions and monsters. But chaos soon erupts when it becomes clear that the creatures have plans of their own.

The facts

• Directed by Pierre Coffin (Despicable Me)
• Starring Trey Parker (Despicable Me 3), Zoey Deutch (Voicemails for Isabelle), Allison Janney (The Roses), Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain), Christoph Waltz (Frankenstein), Jeff Bridges (Tron: Ares), Bobby Moynihan (Hoppers) and Phil LaMarr (Pulp Fiction).
• English language
• Runtime: 90 minutes
• The film takes places in 1920, 48 years before the events of the 2015 film Minions.
• The seventh film of the ever-expanding cinematic Despicable Me universe.

Why did it get this rating?

This film was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.

Violence

The film contains mild, slapstick fantasy violence involving mischievous monsters and minions. Characters are chased, startled, and caught up in chaotic situations. There are scenes of destruction and magical mishaps, but little emphasis is placed on injury, pain, or realistic consequences. The overall tone is playful and humorous rather than threatening.

Some scenes may be frightening for very young children, particularly when the enchanted monsters first come to life. Younger viewers may find Irene, a large orange creature made of goo and covered in eyes, unsettling, especially when she swallows characters into her gelatinous body. Goomi, a small green squid-like monster, is not visually scary but is revealed to be the mastermind behind the chaos. The remaining monsters are larger sea-creature-inspired beings that may appear intimidating due to their size and appearance, though their actions are presented within a comedic context.

Coarse language

One minion is called Dick (as in the nickname Richard). While the word is used only as his name (and not in an offensive way) this may raise some eyebrows of parents and whānau, giggles or questions from some tamariki and go over the heads of others. Ultimately, it’s meant to be funny.

When content stays with you:

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?