A great animated flick

Rating: 10/10 (12 March 2011)

The trailers for this movie made it look pretty weak. I watched it in the theater only because there was nothing left, and I had to be convinced to go because the trailers had given me a pretty bad image of the film. But was I pleasantly surprised! The story is a simple and unique take on the tired superhero movies: what if the villain won for once? The film begins when Megamind (the villain) defeats his arch nemesis Metroman (the hero). Rather than being happy, Megamind realizes suddenly that his life has lost meaning as a result, and he begins to search for ways to regain his happiness. Through that journey he unexpectedly discovers himself, without having set out to find himself to being with. The story expresses the often forgotten fact in our society (and rarely portrayed in films) that destiny is nothing but a word for the lives that we build for ourselves. We determine our futures, our outcomes, there is no path appointed before us. Throughout the film Megamind strongly believes in this concept of "destiny" and only when he relaxes this belief and realizes that "being bad" was not his fate, but the one which society and his environment had expected of him, does he find real happiness in life.
It's a delightful story. The jokes are fun. The characters are lovable. Another thing that stands out in Megamind is the animation. This is the film that has really won me over to computer animation. The animation is spectacular. The emotions expressed on the characters' faces is so enthralling. The action scenes are addicting.
I really liked Megamind. I have heard mixed word of mouth reviews, but I for one loved it. It was not over the top. It was not phenomenal. It was not larger than life and it was not the cheap tear jerker that it so many animated films of today try and be. But in place of those things I believe was honesty, and a deeper than normal message told in a fun and exciting way. The fact that this film was just average, that it was not over the top, made it all the more better and fitting :D 10/10