Not exactly original or great, but it's cute and still better and funnier than "Madagascar".

Rating: 6/10 (5 November 2010)

Well with all of the great/excellent CG-animated films to come out, especially in this year alone, there's always one which is bound to break the streak. Unfortunately, that party-pooper arrives in the form of "Megamind", another animated film about a super-villain trying to do good, hot on the heels of Universal's "Despicable Me" months ago.
Granted, this year also saw the release of Dreamworks Animation's magnum opus "How To Train Your Dragon", but this film really brings Dreamworks Animation's status down to earth and back into comedy territory. That's not saying that "Megamind" is a bad film. Far from it, actually. It has a great voice cast, great animation, and great technical aspects. It falls short of having a memorable script and a not-so-original story.
Let me just get one thing clear - the voice acting is great. As per with Dreamworks you've got a heck of a cast here: Will Ferell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, David Cross and Brad Pitt. Megamind's character works with audiences well because of Ferell and his goofball charm that shows whenever Megamind speaks. The love interest, Roxanne Ritchi, is gorgeously animated and given some spunk with Fey's voice. Cross is cute with his henchman role and Pitt sounds like he's having a fun time spoofing the "Goody-two-shoes" superhero (maybe himself, as well?), but it is Hill who steals the show when... I'm not going to tell you as it would spoil the film but let's just say he gave his character an extra dimension.
Technical wise, the animation is great, with some very detailed action sequences and (in particular one spectacular) explosions. Director Tom McGrath (best known as Skipper, the head honcho of "The Penguins of Madagascar") gives life in the film's direction. The movements of characters are very fluid, and they're also designed with the best intentions. The art direction looks great - clean when good is around, dark when "evil" is around. The music by Hans Zimmer and his protégé Lorne Balfe suits the right moods. The soundtrack is great and has many songs from both present and especially past, a very eclectic mix.
It's the screenplay's problem that gives the film it's downfall. There's nothing really that memorable from it, as it merely sends up the superhero movie genre, "Superman" in particular. With many, many references to that 1978 classic, the film loses its originality but has a strong moral core that resonates, especially during the climax of the film - that ultimately, the bad guy can and has to be the good guy. It's not the destination, it's the journey. I personally find Megamind's fate at the end of the movie to be satisfying. It isn't exactly a spoiler, but the film's very predictable at best. And a plus - I find the romantic subplot between Megamind and Roxanne to be extremely sweet, if not corny.
Of course, the film also nearly goes back into "Madagascar" territory with some childish jokes and dance montages to music (one involving a very obvious Michael Jackson hit). However there's not that many and the film can be a tad too intense for children. Believe me, in the cinema where I watched it, a few children were basically on the verge of fear tears during the action sequences, poor kids were too scared to cry.
Besides some jokes which are intended for adults which may fly over the heads of kids, "Megamind" is a pleasant watch for a family night out at the movies. It's not Oscar material and one probably won't soon remember it, but it's far from being bad, not even close. It's just a step above mediocre at best.
Overall rating: 57/100