| Megamind Review It is as if someone decided, we will let Pixar fret over such things as hidden motivations and deeper character issues or story lines that might actually evoke an emotional response...we are in the business of entertainment...and business is good.
Megamind succeeds in several areas...it manages to bring to mind such CGI animated films as The Incredibles and Despicable Me while delving into the Superman mythology...
But when I go see a film like Megamind, I don't expect, nay want to be looking in the corners for some obscure reference to a Truffaut film...I want to some witty repartee from Tina Fey and Will Ferrell, I want some over the top bravado from Brad Pitt (whose Metro Man animated counterpart looks more like George Clooney to me).
At its best it understands the idea of a Mega Villain destroying its nemesis will be unfulfilled, that he must create his own superhero to give his life any meaning is a nice twist. At its worst it resorts to a bunch of pop culture references that seem a little overdone and a tad tired...
I think the most difficult pill to swallow was the half-assed tired scoring of old rock stand bys. Seriously? Bad to the Bone? HIghway to Hell? Welcome to the Jungle? Sure, these are classic but some of these have been so overused in films that it ranks up there with any film that uses Born to Be Wild whenever a character decides to get on a motorcycle and hit the open road. Stop it...please...
In the end I never love or hate this film but it is a harmless way of spending an afternoon.
The positives: Across the board, the voice casting was top-notch. Not a single bad choice here. Will Ferrell's pronunciations throughout the film, Jonah Hill as Titan repeatedly saving Roxanne Ritchi and Tina Fey all manage to make the most of every line of dialogue.
The Negatives: Not nearly enough of the megalomania of Metro Man. And a nice 'twist' does not constitute a full plot, but I always feel this is the biggest issue with a lot of the Dreamworks animated films, the story isn't always the star.
And I am sure with the continued opening weekend successes they have, they could care less what two cents I am throwing out there to be digested.
But if they are listening...please...see that paragraph about the song choices...that was just laziness. And laziness does not make sense when dedicated to a two-three year animation process. | 
