Megamind, the latest from Dreamworks Animation, has a lot to offer but never reaches its full potential. The animation looks spectacular and offers great detail, and the 3D is a nice touch, but is not a must (which is the case for most 3D movies). And of course, this movie has a top-notch voice cast including Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill and Brad Pitt. But somehow Megamind loses its humor and charm somewhere in the middle and plays out just how you’d think.
Megamind (Ferrell) and Metro Man (Pitt) have been battling since they were babies. Over time, each has taken to their role and have tried to outdo each other at everything and it mostly ends with Megamind failing. But when the supervillain finally kills the superhero of Metro City, it does not go the way Megamind thought it would. With his sidekick Minion (David Cross) by his side, Megamind becomes bored and finds his life being pointless without a hero to fight. This leads to Megamind creating a new hero for Metro City and he goes by Tighten (Hill), but instead of using his powers for good, heartache makes him want to destroy the world and Megamind is left with no choice but to become the unthinkable….a hero.
It seems like every fight, even when it comes to heroes and supervillains, a woman is involved. So who has captured the hearts of Megamind and Tighten? Her name is Roxanne Ritchi (Fey), a news reporter who is always kidnapped by Megamind, but doesn’t play the victim. She has become used to it by now, expects everything, and is never surprised anymore. However, Tighten intends on sweeping her off her feet. Instead, he’s left with a broken heart. Tighten becomes angry and Megamind might just get the girl after all.
Megamind has some great humor and most of it is due to Megamind and Minion. They have conversations that you can picture Ferrell and Cross having and it is simply hilarious. The whole concept of a supervillain having to become the hero of the city he has tortured for so long can be entertaining, and it is for a little bit. The problem is the pace this movie starts out with does not continue throughout the entire thing. It becomes less funny and fun and more tiresome and predictable.
Director Tom McGrath (both Madagascar movies) has the capability of creating a brilliant, comedic animated movie with a great cast to pull it off. Megamind starts out as such, but it starts to slip as it continues to tell a story that is not so distinctive as others before it. This animated movie starts off great, but as time goes on, it goes from great to good. Unfortunately, by the end, Megamind finds itself just being average.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association and the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
Check out the SoBros Shop. Become a Patron. Give us money for no reason. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @SoBrosNetwork. Watch on YouTube.
