Will Farrell's Personal Avatar

Rating: 6/10 (8 November 2010)

The release of "Megamind" on the first Friday in November marks the beginning of the winter blockbuster season and shows that Will Farrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey, David Cross and Jonah Hill know how to draw a crowd to the box office. "Megamind" is the latest DreamWorks animation story that incorporates different aspects from Superman. The basic plot concerns the epic rivalry that began when a blue super villain alien named Megamind (Will Farrell) and his arch nemesis superhero Metro Man (Brad Pitt) were babies. They both were saved from the destruction of their respective planets by small spacecrafts destined for earth. Their rivalry continued as they both grew up living very different separate lives fighting periodically through the years. All of these battles resulted in the defeat of Megamind up until one day that changed both of their lives forever and Megamind's perspective of good versus evil.
The character Megamind is an exact replica of what Will Farrell would look like if James Cameron made him into an Avatar. With this being said Will Farrell is funnier than ever and is able to carry his humor over from his movies aimed at an older audience and transform it into humor appropriate for younger kids. The film also has a special guest appearance from the film's producer Ben Stiller as the voice of the character Bernard. Tina Fey ("SNL", "Date Night") is also in the film playing the voice of news reporter Roxanne Ritchi who is involved in a very interesting love affair with Stiller's character Bernard. David Cross's and Jonah Hill's characters join the party as well playing the characters of Minion and Hal respectively in very different and dynamic performances. Despite the voices of these actors, the best part of the film is the entertainment value that Will Farrell brings to the table.
Brad Pitt's character Metro Man is also animated to a T, depicting exactly what Pitt would look like as an animated superhero. However, Pitt is almost nonexistent in the film after the opening ten-minutes of the movie. Where did he go? The disappearance of Pitt hurts the film and complicates the story line that should have been simple and straightforward. The film suffers from animated movieitis stemming from plot holes, discontinuities and lack of substance. Characters that should not have been very important to the film are developed into main characters, while making the film "Pittless." Therefore, the movie as a whole does not succeed in creating a compelling story.
Overall, the film is a very entertaining, fun family film that everyone can enjoy. However, you can wait for DVD to see it. Also, don't expect a film in the same league as "Toy Story 3" or "How to Train Your Dragon," instead expect a film that relies solely on the humor of Will Farrell as he succeeds in stealing the spotlight on the animated screen once again as he did in the 2006 film "Curious George."