Minions – small canary-coloured, pill-shaped, overall-clad, villain-following minions. Love them or hate them they are proving disturbingly popular around the world. And I think I know why.
Apart from a few actions scenes having a bit too much action, my 5 year old loved it. And what child wouldn’t love a movie where the tag lines are “I like breaking the rules”, “The rules don’t apply to me”, or even completely usurping parent power with “I make the rules”. Of course kids love it.
But the movie has gained some criticism, for being boring, for not being as good as Despicable Me, and for among other things, being a very very bad example for children to follow (our Shine Jesus Shine post received some very bad comments on Facebook).
There is also this insightful comment from those over at Russelling reviews:
“In the tradition of capitalising on the marketing appeal of the plucky sidekicks, Minions met it’s (sic) goal, but ultimately this canary-coloured tale is misguided and proves to be a weak outing for Illumination Entertainment. Buy the Happy Meals and the cute t-shirts, but it is probably worth waiting for this tale to come out on DVD.”
But should Christians watch it? Are we allowed to laugh and follow and/or allow our children to laugh and follow a bunch of mumbling bumbling super villain serving minions?
In my view Yes. Why? Because it is a perfect example of fallen humanity.
They want to have fun – just like us. They want to do things their own way in their own time with their own rules – just like us. They want to follow something, a cause, a person, an idea, a villain greater than themselves – just like us. They are constantly in search of, or easily led away by the latest, most popular villain, be it Pharaoh, Napoleon, Scarlett Overkill, Fun, Greed, or Power – just like us.
As my EMV Bible states (that is, my English Minion version):
“All we like minions have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way (Isaiah 53:6)”
Or as Romans 3:9 says:
“What then? Are we humans any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both humans and minions, are under sin, as it is written:
None is righteous, no not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
If we are honest with ourselves, we are all lost little minions, sad little sidekicks looking for a villain to follow.
And on that note I will leave you with one last quote from my English Minion Bible, namely Matthew 6:24
“No minion can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Minion”
There are many super-villains to follow, but only one Superhero.
You are lost. He is looking. Why not admit the truth and follow Him.
