"Megamind" tackles nature vs. nurture, expected roles, society obligations vs. free will. It bucks the traditional story of good winning over evil; the good guy beats the bad guy and gets the girl in the end.
While Metroman crash-landed from space into luxury on earth, Megamind into prison. Would Metroman live up to the superhero hype and Megamind be forever destined for villainy? What happens when there's a new evil in town?
Big blue-headed and lanky Megamind (Will Ferrell), and his relationships with fishy minion-guardian and reporter Roxanne Ritchie (Tina Fey), are front and center. Metroman, as flashy hero as he's introduced, turns out to be no more than a minor role in their playing (or fighting) ground called Metro City.
The physical contortions and the bells and whistles are fun to watch, but the jokes are wickedly funny. Like "The Incredibles," the lines are written for adults. I don't think kids would understand the "big words" banters or a play of on the slogan used in the Obama political campaign.
In the world of heroes vs. villains, mistaken identity, and lifelong rivalry, the story has an original twist. "Megamind" is mega-fantastic!
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My fellow columnist at SD Entertainer, child film critic Perry Chen*** specializing in kid-friendly movies, gives "Megamind" a 4-"stafish" rating. Full review is available at: http://tinyurl.com/28a9sxs
DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/29lvu8g
***At 10, Perry Chen is the youngest award-winning entertainment critic, TV personality, Annie Awards presenter, filmmaker/animator, and radio host, reviewing movies and entertainment from a child’s perspective. He has been interviewed by Katie Couric (CBS Evening News) and Liane Hansen (NPR). He has interviewed Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera, director & producer of Pixar's "Up." Perry is currently partnering with an Oscar-nominated animator, Bill Plympton, in a new animation about the Holocaust (2011 release).