Totally hooked on the silly chaos of 'Minions: The Rise of Gru' — the big roster of baddies is what makes it such a joyride. The central villain squad in the film is the
vicious 6, a supervillain supergroup Gru dreams of joining. The most prominent face of that crew is Belle Bottom (Taraji P. Henson), the stylish, confident leader. Another standout is Jean-Clawed (voiced by Jean-Claude Van Damme), who’s basically action-movie energy with a crab-like twist.
Aside from those two, the film leans on a roster of over-the-top specialists and
hench-types who together make up the Vicious 6 — think a hulking strongman-type, a quick and lethal close-combat specialist, and colorful personalities that give Gru and the Minions trouble. On top of the Vicious 6, there’s
Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), a legendary villain-with-a-heart who becomes a surprising ally and adds the film’s warm, grizzled mentor vibe. For me the mash-up of disco-era villainy and goofy Minion antics is pure candy — it’s loud, fun, and oddly heartfelt.