Review: Megamind

by Ben Shantz

Megamind is appropriately named, as the plot requires a mega-mind to comprehend. Megamind is a super-villain, voiced by Will Ferrell, who is sent to Earth as an infant to find his destiny. He arrives only to find that another alien baby, Metro Man (Brad Pitt), is on a similar, more heroic quest. Thus begins the epic animated struggle between good and evil. We join our protagonists well into adulthood and after Megamind has finally beaten Metro Man.

Faced with newfound victory, Megamind seizes control of Metro City, only to realize that he needs a new opponent. After an extensive search, a little sci-fi help, and a spot-on Will-Ferrell-as-Marlon-Brando-as-Jor-El impression, Megamind successfully creates a new super-hero to battle. But that is where the movie breaks down. The vocal talents of Tina Fey, Will Ferrell and Jonah Hill simply can’t carry the thin plot and stumbling story line.

For a film targeted at kids, the humor and dialogue are too self-aware to be laugh-out-loud hilarious, and the plot is too complicated for the youngsters who would most likely see the film. The lack of resolution of moral issues within the film is too convoluted even for adults. The predominantly good Metro Man abandons the city and suffers no consequences, while Megamind’s transformation absolves him of responsibility for a lifetime of bad deeds. The plot issues don’t stop Ferrell and Fey from shining as voice actors throughout the film. Kids will love Ferrell as Megamind simply because he makes the character too ridiculous to resist, mispronouncing words in a way reminiscent of his role in Anchorman. Fey is equally impressive as a Lois Lane-esque reporter bent on stopping Megamind at every turn.

The unfamiliar plot and lack of emotion hinder Megamind from living up to recent animated blockbusters such as Kung Fu Panda or How to Train Your Dragon. Nevertheless, Megamind is an admirable addition to the growing animated 3-D film genre.