"Megamind" has Mega Laughs and Heart

Rating: 9/10 (5 December 2010)

DreamWorks' animated "Megamind" benefits ironically from Will Ferrell's hysterical voice rendering. Ferrell voices the slender bulbous headed blue complexioned super-villain Megamind. His usual goofy oafish persona is not a glaring distraction as the diminutive misunderstood leather clad evil genius. Ferrell is uncharacteristically restrained, and self aware as Megamind. At a story arc, his Megamind confesses, "Bad guys don't save the day, and they don't get the girl" In the plot twist of the original story by Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simmons, the super-villain must transform into the superhero. This is no surprise. What is surprising? "Megamind" does so hilariously and poignantly.
Director Tom McGrath seamlessly and simultaneously parodies the superhero genre and embraces it. Beleaguered Megamind apparently destroys his arch nemesis Metro Man (comically pompous Brad Pitt), anointed defender of Metro City. No one is more shocked than Megamind himself. Equally bewildered is intrepid reporter Roxanne Ritchie (spunky and composed Tina Fey): How could Metro Man die? Even if you haven't seen the movie trailer, you can kind of figure this one out. Anyway, Megamind institutes his evil reign of Metro City. However, he soon discovers there is little joy in evil, all alone. He realizes that eternal paradox: There is no evil, without good. Megamind was the Yin to Metro Man's Yang—the universal balance. Schoolcraft and Simmons eloquently pull a "Kung Fu Panda".
Determined to restore the fun in evil, Megamind and his sidekick Minion (hysterically obtuse David Cross) embark to create a new hero. Leveraging Metro Man's DNA residue, the two select Hal (brilliantly geeky Jonah Hill) as their candidate. Hal creepily grips a torch for Roxanne. In horrendous miscalculation despite Megamind's Brando homage tutelage, Hal emerges as Titan-- ultimate super-villain. Unintentionally, Megamind places Roxanne in jeopardy. Meanwhile Megamind finds himself appreciating Roxanne. So Megamind must cowboy up: Reclaim his innate greatness, and become the hero he is destined to be. Flashback to the infant his parents secured in his spaceship bound for earth from their dying planet. With his father's words obscured Megamind screams, "Destined for what? I didn't catch that last part!"
The 3D in "Megamind" is spectacular. 3D envisioning in animated features seem to fair best. The 3D is not really integral to the story. The effect of Metro City is a monolithic and futuristic version of Los Angeles. That context does work. What also work are narrative backdrops for both Megamind and Metro Man. Both share similar origins: Advanced alien parents of separate dying worlds send their sons to Earth as its saviors. Chaos literally collides as the baby, who becomes Metro Man, lands in the wealthy estate of Lord and Lady Scott. While the baby, who becomes Megamind, lands in a State Prison, and raised by its inmates. Their paths cross again as toddlers in a School for the Gifted. Megamind playing to his strong suit makes the life altering choice to be evil. Amazingly, we catch up with Megamind serving 8 consecutive life sentences, but from all accounts he has not harmed anyone. His sole punishment seems consequence of being the big loser in his battles with Metro Man.
McGrath effectively enrolls Megamind's underdog empathy. His is a solitary and misrepresented existence—as in a failure to be. So when he accidentally impersonates gentle and kind Metro Man Museum curator Bernard (charming and clumsy Ben Stiller) and befriends the beautiful Roxanne (Fey), we pull for him. Megamind is more himself as Bernard, than his evil genius self. Roxanne is genuinely falling for Bernard as well. Here Ferrell displays a deceptive subtle charm. Fey is funny and vulnerable as the unflappable independent woman relinquishing her guard. Brad Pitt is hysterical in self effacing parody as Metro Man. The narrative twist involving his Metro Man completes the movie with his aloof and touching turn. "Megamind" is predictable only in structure; otherwise it is abundant with surprise. "Megamind" has big laughs and a big heart.