Minions: The Rise of Gru

In 1976, eleven-year-old Gru lives in suburban America and dreams of becoming a great supervillain. He idolizes the Vicious 6, a gang of villains who have just betrayed their former leader, Wild Knuckles. When the gang rejects Gru because he is a child, Gru steals their powerful Zodiac Stone to prove himself. The theft brings a chase through San Francisco, a kidnapping, kung fu training, and a final fight during a Chinese New Year parade. The tone stays bright, loud, silly, and built around slapstick jokes, cartoon danger, and 1970s music.

The story gives important roles to Belle Bottom, a black woman who leads the Vicious 6, and Master Chow, a Chinese American woman who teaches kung fu. Belle chases power through the Zodiac Stone, while Chow trains the Minions to protect Gru. Gru and the Minions learn that loyalty and teamwork matter more than working alone. The film treats villainy as playful fantasy, and its humor centers on slapstick, old songs, kung fu, and the Minions' strange habits.