Minions: The Rise of Gru Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Out

fRotten Tomatoes has revealed the first impressions by critics to Minions: The Rise of Gru. The film, which marks the fifth feature-length installment in the massively successful Despicable Me franchise, is set for release on Friday. So far, it's weighing in at a respectable 67% "fresh" rating, which isn't enough to be "Certified Fresh" but isn't terrible for the fifth installment of any series. It marks a significant improvement over Minions, which earned just a 55% rating on the review-aggregation site, and Despicable Me 3, which earned 59%. It lags behind the first two installments of the franchise, which earned 81% and 75% positive reviews respectively.

The Minions sequel has been waiting for its time to shine for literally years. The first trailer dropped in February 2020, and shortly thereafter, the movie was one of the dozens that got delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Long before he becomes the master of evil, Gru (Oscar nominee Steve Carell) is just a 12-year-old boy in 1970s suburbia, plotting to take over the world from his basement. It's not going particularly well. When Gru crosses paths with the Minions, including Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto — a new Minion sporting braces and a desperate need to please — this unexpected family joins forces. Together, they build their first lair, design their first weapons, and strive to execute their first missions.

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. 

Featuring more spectacular action than any film in Illumination history and packed with the franchise's signature subversive humor, Minions: The Rise of Gru stars a thrilling new cast, including, the Vicious 6: Taraji P. Henson as cool and confident leader Belle Bottom, whose chain belt doubles as a lethal disco-ball mace; Jean-Claude Van Damme as the nihilistic Jean Clawed, who's armed (literally) with a giant robotic claw; Lucy Lawless as Nunchuck, whose traditional nun's habit hides her deadly nun-chucks; Dolph Lundgren as Swedish roller-skate champion Svengeance, who dispenses his enemies with spin kicks from his spiked skates; and Danny Trejo as Stronghold, whose giant iron hands are both a menace to others and a burden to him. 

Minions: The Rise of Gru lands in theaters on July 1st.