Almost Like The Incredibles

Rating: 7/10 (1 November 2010)

Megamind is what I would call an 'almost-there' movie. It is almost the epic animation that was "The Incredibles", almost as hilarious as the "Madagascar" films and it almost makes you forget you are watching a 3-D movie. When you add up these 'almost points', the score is a family flick that is both fun and funny to watch, whether in 3-D or not. Here, the 3-D effects are not obtrusive and after a while, you kind of get comfortable and forget you are wearing the 3-D glasses. Which, I must say, is a big plus for the 3-D gimmick. Yes, it is still a gimmick to make you pay more for the ticket. Megamind (Will Ferrell) is the super-villain who is trying to conquer Metro City in every imaginable way possible. However, every time he tries, he is thwarted by the egoistic superhero Metro Man (Brad Pitt). Then one day, Megamind succeeds in getting rid of Metro Man! Instead of being happy, Megamind realizes that achieving his life's ambition is the worst thing that ever happened to him. He decides that the only way out of his rut is to create a new hero opponent called Titan, who promises to be bigger, better and stronger than Metro Man ever was. Pretty quickly Titan (Jonah Hill) starts to think it's much more fun to be a villain than a good guy. Now, if after getting rid of Metro Man, Megamind feels lost without an arch-rival, he still has his Muse. It is in the form of the feisty TV newscaster Roxanne Ritchi, played with a huge dose of feminist charm by Tina Fey. In fact, Roxanne is the heroine and the agent of change for both Megamind and her cameraman Hal (Jonah Hill again) - although not necessary for good. Megamind is about villainy - and if it is lonely at the top, it is also lonely at the bottom of the moral pool. Writers Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons have penned many interesting characters, some of whom change personality at the turn of a watch bezel. Heroes are boring, and Metro Man is so full of himself that he is clownish and boring. Not so Megamind, though. His encounters with Roxanne sparkle with chemistry and they keep the movie going, both for the kids and adults. And director Tom McGrath, who also provides the voice for a prison guard, keeps the pace fast and the tone goofy. It won't blow your mind but it will tickle your funny bone.