“Minions & Monsters,” Illumination’s seventh Despicable Me franchise film and the third Minions-focused spin-off, opens in theaters July 1 and is set earlier than previous entries, with its story placed before “Minions” and “Minions: The Rise of Gru.” Reviews from multiple outlets describe the plot as following a new tribe of Minions as they search for a next “despicable” boss, now encountering an old-Hollywood setting. Several critics highlight the movie’s throwback premise, placing the Minions around late-1920s Los Angeles and a Hollywood studio environment inspired by the silent era. Opinions on the execution differ: some reviews call the film inventive and among the best in the franchise since the first “Despicable Me,” praising the characters’ slapstick energy and the creative “throwback” tone. Others characterize the experience as relying too much on familiar patterns and repetitive chaos. The New York Times and other sources also connect the film to the franchise’s continued cultural prominence. ComingSoon notes the film includes a post-credits moment described as a “surprise” for audiences.