On the surface, Megamind is about a super-villain, upon losing his super-hero, must become the hero to save the town and the woman he loves. But peel that away and you realize it’s about a deformed kid learning he can be anything he wants… after he kills Brad Pitt and creates a more evil super-villain than he himself ever was.
The storyline is suitably simple, but solid and, though predictable, enjoyable. It pokes the right amount of fun at the classical superhero comic world while maintaining its audience– that is, children. The jokes were wide-ranging, well paced, and rarely crude. There were a few scenes that felt dry or ill timed, but no film is perfect. The scenes where Ferrell and his co-stars improv are great, and because it is a kid’s movie, those scenes don’t descend into eye-rolling territory like his adult films often do. Most importantly, the characters were lively and memorable. Characters we’ll enjoy in at least one sequel, I’d imagine.
There are two and only two Will Ferrell movies I like and Megamind is one of them. I’m not one to gush philosophical over movies– my critical tone is right Ebenezer– but Megamind earned a spot in my top fifty, possibly top thirty movies. Complete with baby seal boots. (That’s a reference to the film, not a personal apparel preference.)