Megamind is a fun and entertaining film that doesn't try to feel or look real

Rating: 7/10 (14 March 2011)

¨All men must choose between two paths: Good is the path of honor, friends, and family. Evil, well, it's just cooler.¨
Megamind is a very fun animated film that doesn't have to be taken seriously like other recent animated movies. It doesn't try to look or feel real, it knows what it is: a cartoon. Megamind will be fun for both children and adults alike (unlike recent animated films-like Rango- that try too hard to target adults and forget that kids want to have a fun time as well). This isn't a movie that has deep meaning to it, or a strong message, or a lot of heart, but it does entertain audiences thanks to the strong voice acting and funny one-liners. The characters are rather simple and one dimensional, but fun to hang around with. Director Tom McGrath has already had success with these animated films as he directed both Madagascar films, and just like those two movies, Megamind should be enjoyed for what it is: an animated picture that is fun for the entire family. I thought that the writers, Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons, did a decent job with the script making it really funny at times thanks to some witty one-liners. With Will Ferrell and Tina Fey you really don't know how much was scripted and how much was really improvised, but the final result is what matters, and the movie was able to entertain all audiences. This isn't an original or memorable film, but it does manage to entertain and I really had a fun time with the movie.
While Megamind (Will Ferrell) is going through a near death experience he tells us the story of his life from the very beginning. The blue creature with a giant head was born in another planet. This planet was being destroyed when his parents decided to send him to Earth as a baby in order to save his life. Megamind is travelling through the galaxy along with his talking fish named Minion (David Cross), who lives inside some sort of robotic suit. But Megamind is not the only alien headed for Earth. Another baby is headed this way with a normal human appearance; his name is Metro Man (Brad Pitt). Somehow destiny plays a joke on Megamind who ends up being raised by prisoners from a local jail, while Metro Man is raised by a rich family. Both kids grow up and become nemesis: Metro Man turns into the hero of Metro City, while Megamind finds his calling in life as a villain because it is the only thing he seems to be good at (although he doesn't do a very good job at it because Metro Man is always defeating him and sending him to jail). The people love Metro Man and declare him a local hero, while Megamind unsuccessfully tries to destroy him by being the Super-Villain. Roxanne Ritchie (Tina Fey) is the local News Reporter who is covering the inauguration of the Metro Man Museum when she is kidnapped for the hundredth time by Megamind. Against everyone's unbelief, including Megamind's, he destroys Metro Man and is successful for the first time in his life. But without an enemy, Megamind gets bored and loses his purpose in life so he decides to create another hero using Metro Man's DNA. This hero happens to be Titan (Hal), who actually turns into a villain himself instead of saving the city, so now Megamind will be forced to become the hero.
The plot has several similarities to many superhero stories, and we might be reminded of other similar animated films such as The Incredibles, but Megamind still works as an entertaining animated film because it has an excellent voice acting cast. This film will have you entertained for 95 minutes and at the end you will leave the movie with a smile in your face. It doesn't try to be something that it isn't and that is why it is so fun. You don't have to remind yourself that you are watching a cartoon like in other movies that try to fool you by making these animated films look real and authentic. You can just sit down and enjoy Megamind for what it is, a fun and simplistic cartoon. Another plus is the soundtrack which just adds to the overall feeling and mood of light fun the film tries to convey. The vocal wit makes up for the lack of originality the movie has. This film should be taken lightly, but it does have a pretty positive message for those who like searching for meaning in movies: it reminds us that heroes are made and not born. We don't have to let our past and our surroundings shape our lives, we can change the course of our destiny and improve our past actions. It's not an original or strong meaningful message, but it reminds us that it's never too late to find our purpose in life in a very light, fun, and entertaining way.
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