Mega-Fun

Rating: 8/10 (20 September 2015)

The comedic twist on the superhero genre is nothing new, nor is the take on seeing a super-villain in a new light as seen with Despicable Me. So the main question was could DreamWorks make an effective blend of the two with Megamind? I think they succeeded. It is nothing that other films of this type haven't touched upon before, but the smart script and fun characters really help make the film stand-out. It has plenty of laughs, it gets its references spot on and it has a surprising amount of dramatic moments.
So what is the plot? Well a super-villain named Megamind has an ongoing battle against superhero Metro Man, constantly being defeated. One day Megamind actually manages to defeat his nemesis and take over the city, but quickly realises there is no fun if he has nobody to face and tries to create a new hero to do battle with. It's a relatively straight-forward plot, but what really makes the film work is its excellent characters. Along the way Megamind develops an attraction towards a reporter he usually kidnaps and the hero he chooses turns out to be not so ideal for the role. I was interested in the romance that developed, I enjoyed seeing Megamind train this new hero and I found that the interactions between the characters were always engaging.
Megamind (an excellent Will Ferrell) has all you want in a main character. He finds being evil fun and it's hard to disagree with him at times, but you feel for him throughout and his transition into a more heroic character feels very natural. Roxanne (Tina Fey) is a fantastic female lead. Sure she is something of a damsel, but it is always played for laughs and she is just a well-balanced character. She's feisty and intelligent, but she's also gentle and vulnerable in a very human way. Minion (the always solid David Cross) is an enjoyable foil for Megamind and Metro Man (Brad Pitt) turns out to be a fun twist on the superhero. I found Hal Stewart (Jonah Hill) annoying and too goofy at first, but the more he grows into his superhero role the better he gets.
The animation is fantastic as usual from DreamWorks and all the characters have interesting designs. There is just something about the way they animate that simulates motion and movement especially well. Whether it be for some slapstick or for the action scenes it just looks excellent every time. Something that impressed me was how well music was used in the film. The score by Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe is aptly heroic and upbeat, but it was also fantastically integrated with songs by the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC and Guns N' Roses. Frequently this method falls flat or the songs date the film, but they are all used smartly and in suitable scenes when they appear.
The comic references were very good. The similarities to Superman are done well and I especially enjoyed Megamind pretending to be Marlon Brando's Jor-El during the training scenes. The script and the dialogue really shine here, I was invested in Megamind's various dilemmas and I was intrigued as the how everything was going to pan out. I found the connection that developed between Megamind and Roxanne to be very believable, when I was initially worried that it would come off as forced. There are also some smart changes to the typical superhero formula, especially towards the end, that worked to the films advantage.
It may be a touch predictable for some and I don't think it breaks any new ground, but I found Megamind to be really enjoyable. The plot is just different enough to be engaging, the animation is very impressive yet again and it's more serious moments are just as effective as its comedic ones. But I believe that it is the characters that give the film its biggest strength. Everything from the voice acting to the designs to the interactions they have just worked to near perfection. Megamind is definitely an entertaining take on the superhero/super-villain genre.