Customer Reviews

Megamind (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

5 star:		(168)
4 star:		(53)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Megamind is something of a mix, but a good one. On the one hand, it takes the existing traditional tropes of comic-book superhero and supervillain and works within them, but at the same time it ventures into territory that one rarely sees, going one step beyond the traditional to answer two questions: (1) What really makes a supervillain truly 'bad'? and (2) What happens when the supervillain unexpectedly wins?

The film starts off with a traditional hook - Megamind apparently falling to his doom - and then flashes back to the beginning, with the origins of the two classic protagonists, superhero Metro Man and supervillain Megamind, each sent out as an infant in a spacepod from their respective doomed homeworlds. From there, however, things begin to take a twist. Megamind is the supervillain, but more from bad luck than anything else (Metro Man's pod lands in a mansion where he is adopted by rich parents who give him everything, Megamind's pod on the other hand lands in a penitentiary where he is adopted by the inmates). Megamind doesn't become a supervillain so much out of evil as much as lack of options, his main talent apparently being wreaking havoc and scaring the hell out of people. He and Metro Man become enemies/rivals in a series of confrontations where, in Megminds own words "Our battles quickly got more elaborate. He would win some, I would ALMOST win others!".

And, in classic comic-book tradition, a plucky news reporter, Roxanne Ritchie, and her hapless and socially inept camerman, Hal Stewart, are always on the scene when one of Megamind's schemes unfolds, with the result that Roxanne gets abducted so many times that it becomes almost routine ("Alligators, yeah, mm-hmm. I was thinking about it on the way over...").

But things take an unexpected twist when, in spite of all the glitches, Megamind's scheme actually works and Metro Man is apparently destroyed, leaving only a skeleton bearing his cape behind. At first Megamind is ecstatic, but after only a few days the supervillian finds himself at a loss as to what to do next. What _does_ a supervillain do when he has no superhero to challenge or to be challenged by?

In his existiential angst, Megamind unexpectedly ends up talking to Roxanne, albeit disguised as Bernard, a museum attendent at the Metro Man Museum. From her, he gets the inspiration to create a new superhero to restore the balance in his life. Unfortunately his plan goes hideously awry when the recipient of his superhero formula turns out to be Hal, Roxanne's inept and all too flawed camerman.

And once again the story turns back to the question of just what makes a supervillain truly bad. Hal isn't evil per se, but he is lazy, petulant, completely self-centered and prone to tantrums when he doesn't get his way. Highly destructive tantrums once he discovers that he, as the intended new superhero Titan, has powers that put him beyond anyone else's control. Jonah Hill as the voice of Hal/Titan manages to perfectly bring out these serious flaws in Titan's character that result in Titan becoming a far more menacing threat to society than the ostensibly 'evil' Megamind ever was.

Craftsmanship-wise, everything in Megamind works well. The animation is colorful and eye-catching, the character design superb, and the voice actors distinctive and entertaining (Will Ferrell as Megamind, Brad Pitt as Metro Man, Tina Fey as Roxanne Ritchie, Jonah Hill as Hal Stewart/Titan, and David Cross as Minion). There are also a lot of references and in-jokes worked in, some fairly obvious (Minion's exo-suit with the diving helmet head and gorilla-like body are a direct take from the classicly-bad scifi film Robot Monster) and fairly subtle (the museum attendant Bernard is voiced by Ben Stiller, who played a museum guard named Bernard in the two Night At The Museum movies).

Though the film was released at the theaters in 3D, you won't miss a thing seeing it on a DVD. Quite frankly, the whole 3D thing is a waste in most movies that have come out with it and Megamind is no exception.

Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys good animation with entertaining characters and story.

"Megamind" is the story of good vs. evil - or is it? The movie starts out with a very cute blue baby being sent to earth in a rocket by his parents to save the infant from the destruction of the planet. As the little blue child is rocketing toward earth, a another child (who is very handsome) is also heading toward earth in a similar rocket. Both children crash land on earth, but to different fates. The beautiful child crash lands on a big estate where he is adopted by a rich family and given everything. While the little blue child crash lands in a prison and is adopted by the prisoners who teach him the ways of evil. Both children are highly intelligent, but due to their circumstances, one grows up to be a superhero -Metroman (voiced by Brad Pitt) and the other a supervillain - Megamind (voiced by Will Ferrell).

Metroman and Megamind spend their lives locked in the classic battle of good vs. evil with Megamind always losing and ending up in jail. Until one day, Megamind's evil strategy works and Metroman is destroyed. Megamind takes over Metro City and turns it into a dump yard. But he comes to realize that being evil is boring without someone good to fight against. The rest of the story is Megamind coming to terms with his real destiny and realizing that looks and circumstances don't always have to dictate your success in this life.

"Megamind" is one of those animated movies that has a lot more going on than meets the eye. The animation is totally brilliant. The scenes look almost real and seeing the movie in 3D is a must if you want to get the best animated viewing experience. The ending is exciting with complex animation that is out of this world.

The story is one of the most complex that I have seen in a children's film. There are many twists and turns in the plot and, since I did not see the trailer, I did not see a lot of them coming. But I find it rare in an animated film (and any movie where Will Ferrell is involved) to have such a rich storyline were good and evil are shown as shades of gray that can be affected by circumstances and our own choices in life. Just because you are raised in a prison does not mean you have to be villain any more than being raised in a palace means you have to be a prince.

The kids in the audience loved the obvious jokes and slapstick comedy, but there were many funny one-liners where only parents were laughing since you had to have seen "The Godfather" to understand the comedy references. Both my son and I loved "Megamind" and give it a thumbs up.

Will Ferrell plays a genius supervillian named Megamind who ends up using his gifts for scandalous means after getting tired of being underappreciated and receiving the treatment of a social outcast. Brad Pitt plays his equally gifted rival Metro Man. Tina Fey plays a very energetic, vivacious, and upbeat woman named Roxanne that is very important to the character development of Megamind. The beautiful and uplifting message of the movie is that everyone has good in them. I also enjoy the message that seems to be tailored to both kids and adults that persistence can pay off even after multiple setbacks. There are plenty of scenes to make a person laugh. In addition, I like how the movie portrayed how a person that may seem like a villian on the outside is not always what they initially appear to be at the surface. In addition, the movie also sends a message that those that create mischief can many times be the ones that are yearning to be accepted and loved the most. All of the actors and actresses voiced their parts in a superb fashion. However, Will's Megamind character really helped to increase the humour and life into this great animated movie. This is definitely one of the animated movies to see this month.

I'm not going to go into a play by play detail of the movie. There are plenty of them out there. In my opinion, the movie was outstanding. It was so much better than what you would expect upon seeing the advertisements. So if you had planned on not seeing the movie because of the advertisements or you just don't dig on "kid movies" I suggest you throw those thoughts out the window and watch the movie and judge for yourself. It has a lot of action, of course, but it also has a lot of heart. Plus, if you're a fan of excellent animation, MegaMind is above the curve in that department. Such expressive facial features and body movements, little details that would be easy to forget or overlook, you realize add so much richness to the experience. As for the storyline, it had a lot of heart. You feel for the characters. There's a realness to them! And the music! This movie has a phenomenal soundtrack. The music covers a range of music types from artists like Ozzy, AC/DC, Guns n' Roses, Michael Jackson, Elvis, ELO, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Minnie Riperton, and George Thorogood and the Destroyers. Plus, the original score is really really good too.

When I was sitting in the theatre, not knowing what to expect, hoping it would be good, anticipating it would be just another CG kids' movie, I discovered within the first 10 minutes or so that this movie was going to be good. I went back 4 additional times to see it in the theatre after that. I absolutely cannot get enough of this movie. So it being released with a bonus episode, that is just thrilling for me. A little extra MegaMind! Gotta get my fix!

I love Megamind.

I shouldn't. I'm not particularly fond of Will Ferrell, who often seems to be adlibbing to amuse only himself. I'm over the whole "superheroes are celebrities" angle. And at this point I think we all know most villains are just misunderstood.

But Megamind nails it. Ferrell, as Megamind, is a giant blue-headed geek that's easy to sympathize because he's not a muscle-bound villain. He's the scheming nerd to rival Metro Man's (Brad Pitt, but it should have been Bruce Campbell) ridiculous physical stature. Megamind, you see, is a victim of his upbringing, raised in a prison, unlike his rival Metro Man who was raised on a farm. The two go to school together and Megamind learns quickly that being smart isn't the same as being popular.

Tina Fey is pitch-perfect as Roxanne Ritchi, lending a cute lisp to a gal reporter that has played the damsel in distress a dozen times too many. She has the majority of the dialogue and shoulders it well.

Rounding out the cast is Minion (David Cross), a fish in a robotic gorilla suit. Cross, like Ferrell, can occasionally overdo it, but here his comedy is perfectly nuanced as a worrywart mother-figure that happens to be a fish in a gorilla suit. He and Ferrell are a great team, like an old married couple that just happens to share a supervillain lair.

All these characters' fates collide when Megamind finally succeeds in killing Metro Man. Momentarily elated, Megamind discovers that life isn't quite the same without his archnemesis. It leaves him feeling hollow, and Megamind soon comes to realize that the issue isn't Metro Man, but himself. Two competing interests help fill the void in the form of his burgeoning romance with Ritchi (disguised as Bernard) and his mentoring of new superhero Tighten.

There are two other characters that actually carry much of the plot: Bernard (Ben Stiller) and Tighten (Jonah Hill). Bernard is the alter-ego of Megamind, who puts his hologram device to work by disguising himself as a hapless museum curator. Tighten (originally Titan, but kids these days!) is the inverse of Megamind - if Megamind is a nerd with outside ambitions, Tighten is a geek with no ambition whatsoever.

What Megamind does so well is contrast the supervillain archetype. Every nerd has faced off against a jock and felt inferior. Every geek secretly harbors a brilliant, raging Megamind-like ego and a needy, insecure Tighten. And for every clean-cut celebrity espousing healthy living and high morals, there's a heavy metal opposite who craves the same spotlight. Megamind and Metro Man are also Gen X heroes, representing the uncertainty of thirty-somethings trying to figure out what they want to be now that they've grown up. The contrast is heightened by Tighten, a Gen Y punk who would rather waste his superhero powers playing videogames (kids these days!).

In the end, what Megamind does best can be summed up in the one word he uses to distinguish a true supervillain from a jerk: PRESENTATION!

I went into the theatre not knowing for sure what to expect. But as I watched it, all the emotions felt real, like I was actually there! I was very sad to see the ending, it is one of those movies that you want it to go on forever. I loved the plot and the twinge of romance. I am definitly getting this one as soon as it comes out onto DVD!

And there came a day when Lex Luthor finally slew Superman, when Doctor Doom outwitted Reed Richards, when the World bested Scott Pilgrim, when Elmer Fudd finally bagged Bugs Bunny. It's rare that a super-villain achieves his end goal, and so you can't blame Megamind for being out of sorts when ultimate triumph finally came his way. I thought DESPICABLE ME was really terrific, and then the similarly-themed MEGAMIND came along and I enjoyed it even better than DESPICABLE ME.

I've never liked Will Ferrell better. The cast is across-the-board fine, but Ferrell had to carry the load, and he hits all the right notes as Megamind, playing up the megalomaniacal side while retaining enough wounded vulnerability that you can't help but root for the bad guy. The movie sets out to make Megamind sympathetic from jump, opening with a passage which chronicles baby Megamind's rocky rocket ship flight from his doomed native planet to Earth. The little guy is established as a hard luck character, thanks to his early thunder getting stolen by another infant - destined to grow up as the superhero Metro Man - also fleeing a dying world. It's this second, aesthetically more pleasing baby who settles under the Christmas tree in a posh mansion and a silver spoon upbringing. Little Megamind's rocket ship, knocked off course by the other baby's ship, careens straight into a maximum security prison, where the baby grows up mentored by hardened convicts. It's that old Nature versus Nurture conundrum again, only played out in tights. Growing up blue-skinned, bulbous-noggined, friendless except for his fish sidekick, and in school always picked last for everything, an embittered boy determines to be villainous.

Which is cool, since the villain of the piece is almost always more interesting. Metro City's champion, Metro Man, is adored by the citizens, glorified even by the local television reporter, Roxanne Ritchi: "His heart is an ocean inside a bigger ocean," she gushes. But dude's a bore. Megamind's greatest asset, we eventually learn, is his tenacity. Year after year his flamboyant criminal acts are confounded by Metro Man. But there's no quit in Megamind. And then, one day, shockingly, Megamind finally comes out on top. Not even he expected that.

The film looks fantastic with its bright colors and impeccable animation. It's almost a shame that we've gotten used to animation graphics being this stellar nowadays, because it does take away from this film's visual accomplishments. But, with that being a given, it all comes down to the story content, like it always should. MEGAMIND offers snappy one-liners and many wonderful visual gags, and I grin whenever Megamind mispronounces Metro City (to something that rhymes with "monstrosity") and also when Titan spells his name as "Tighten." But there's also a core narrative which is textured and laced with a richness and nice bits of character development, with the most thought provoking element centering around a villain's melancholy. Megamind finds that holding dominion over Metro City isn't as gratifying when no hero comes to save the day. Long moments of agonizing produce a solution, and so Megamind quickly puts his plan into motion. He'll invent a superhero to challenge him again, create his very own playmate. Good thing Metro Man has dandruff.

It's a neat topsy-turvying of superhero conventions, and I don't think anyone will miss out on all the references, from the awesome nod to Marlon Brando's Jor-El to the sassy news reporter (and token damsel in distress) Roxanne Ritchi, obviously a Lois Lane clone. Tina Fey makes her come alive, and Roxanne actually provides the story's grounding element. Her strange relationship with Megamind figures in many of the film's emotionally satisfying moments. Meanwhile, her creepy cameraman also pines for Roxanne, except that she wants no truck with him. That last sentence, by the way, drips with foreshadowing.

MEGAMIND isn't quite as top shelf as THE INCREDIBLES or as evocative as TOY STORY or WALL-E, but it's marvelous enough with its heart and pathos and non-stop laughs. Even more than Gru, I rooted like mad for this underdog to win out, to beat his adversary, to get the girl, to find acceptance. "I did my best. But he was too fantastic!" wails Megamind in an early scene. I wasn't looking for that in the climax.

This single DVD's bonus material: the filmmakers' audio commentary; "Meet the Cast of MEGAMIND" (00:09:22 minutes long); the deleted toothbrush scene (00:01:34 minutes), and the "World of DreamWorks Animation" which showcases song excerpts and selected video game and DVD promos for the KUNG FU PANDA, MADAGASCAR, and SHREK franchises, and for HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON.

I've always loved Dreamworks Movies, with Monsters VS Aliens, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon being the best of the bunch. But Dreamworks has reached a new level of awesome with Megamind.

The movie is not only hilarious and entertaining, but it also has a lot of emotion. There are scenes where you really feel for the main character. You relate to him, everyone can relate to being pushed into becoming something you didn't want to be. All the characters are strong and not annoying at all. The action is superb, and I am so getting this on Blu-Ray because the animation is just great! You can tell Dreamworks has come a long way since Shrek. The relationship between Megamind and Roxanne (the female lead) is funny and sweet at the same time. I love everything about this movie, and I don't think I can find anything wrong with it if I tried. Critics may say it's predicable and cliched, but there are a few twists thrown in that even I didn't expect. This movie, like Megamind, is something special :)

The lesson "Choose your own Destiny" shines through in this movie, and it's great for both kids and adults. I would definitely by the Blu-Ray dvd (comes with a mini movie and a ton of extras) or at least buy the single disc. This movie is just great, and everyone who loves animated movies, superhero movies, or just loves having a good time will love this movie.

Good job Dreamworks, keep it up! (and if it's possible, PLEASE make a sequel!)

"Megamind" is an odd film in that the villain is the hero. Other reviewers have described the movie so all I will say is that it is the first movie in over two years that made me laugh out loud. Lots of action, funny lines and enough twists to keep everyone entertained. I already have my DVD pre-ordered.

After some waivering, I decided to see Megamind 3D. I'm a big fan of 3D, and the 3D is done very well. There is no reason to see the 2d version when the 3D is available.

As I said the movie is funny, but not by telling jokes. It's funny in a real way, generally done via sarcasm, goofy grammar usage, and self-deprecation. The plot is a nice change from the typical hero/villain plot, and will keep you interested!

The biggest thing that not many people are mentioning is how brilliantly done the animation is. The images, and scenery are so crisp and vivid, it really is mind blowing. Paired with the 3D effects, this is a visually stunning movie.

I regret waivering on this movie. I almost didn't even bother with it. I'm glad I listened to the good reviews, and took the plunge. It was worth every penny, and every minute spent.

Dreamworks is on a roll.