'Megamind' vs. 'Despicable Me'!

Rating: 7/10 (10 January 2011)

'MEGAMIND': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
The second CGI animated blockbuster this year to revolve around a super villain learning to be good (the other being 'DESPICABLE ME', which I watched the same day). This one comes from DreamWorks Animation and is directed by Tom McGrath (who also directed DreamWorks' 'MADAGASCAR' and it's sequel). It's written by two first time writers, Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons. It features a large voice cast of A list actors including Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt, David Cross, Ben Stiller (who also served as an executive producer on the film and was originally cast in the title role) and Will Ferrell as 'Megamind' (after both Stiller and Robert Downy, Jr. backed out of the role).
The film opens with an 8 day old big headed blue alien boy being sent away from his planet by his parents before it blows up. In space he crosses paths with another baby boy being sent away from another planet and they both crash on Earth. The blue alien baby lands in a prison as the other baby lands at a rich couple's house. They both attend the same school, in Metro City, with equally impressive powers (one's a genius and the other has super strength and flight) but due to the one babies rich upbringing and good looks he grows up to be an idolized superhero named Metro Man (Pitt) and the other (the blue alien) grows up to be a despised mastermind villain known as Megamind. The two have constant duels but when Megamind kills Metroman (early on in the film) he takes over the city. Although Megamind has everything he thought he ever wanted he's unhappy. He longs for a beautiful reporter (Fey, who voices one of the most attractive animated heroines ever put on film) and for the rivalry of a competitor. So he decides to make a new superhero to challenge him.
The film is surprisingly witty and clever; it's filled with several laugh out loud moments and Ferrell gives another classic Will Ferrell performance. It has a slight 'INCREDIBLES' feel to it but never quite reaches those heights. It is better than the other super villain animated film this year though and is one of the best animated films of the year as well. Besides being funny it does have great social commentary: about the people we become because of the advantages and disadvantages were given at birth. It also has some pretty cool animation and action scenes. All in all it's a pretty fun and amusing animated film, better than most.
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