Megamind (2010)

August 24, 2015 5:55 PM

The supervillain Megamind finally defeats his nemesis, the superhero Metro Man. But without a hero, he loses all purpose and must find new meaning to his life.

Tasha Robinson, The AV Club: "There’s nothing wrong with animation aimed at adults, but this may be the first kids’ movie that throws fewer bones to its supposed intended viewers than to their parents."

Sukhdev Sandhu (The Telegraph): "In the end, Megamind isn’t terrible, but it’s almost scandalously lacking in ambition."

Ryan Lambie (Den of Geek):

"While Megamind’s plot is cleverly constructed enough – albeit in a light, family-friendly kind of way – the movie’s strongest aspect is its humour and welter of loving geek references.

"There are several scenes that gently pastiche Richard Donner's 1978 Superman movie, including a slapstick recreation of that film’s romantic flight scene, and a priceless Marlon Brando impression from Will Ferrell. Eagle-eyed viewers will perhaps also note, with a titter of recognition, a fleeting reference to the conclusion of the 1980 Flash Gordon movie."

posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome (7 comments total)

I thought it was a nice touch to make the villain a self-pitying "nice guy" .
posted by concrete at 6:22 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]

I think this movie gets little respect as the Deep Impact to The Incredible's Armageddon, but it's got it's charms. Concrete is right about Megamind being a "beta male" type and the "nice guys never win" blends perfectly with the comic book trope "bad guys never win". The main change I would have made would be making the love interest more than just a sassy foil for male lead, who lampshades her role as damsel in distress but doesn't end up being anything more.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 7:12 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]

This line near the end:

Titan: This town isn’t big enough for two supervillains!
Megamind: Oh, you’re a villain all right, just not a super one.
Titan: Oh yeah? What’s the difference?
Megamind: Presentation!

Still get's snowcloned heavily in my house.
In the same way as, "How do I get to x?" "Practice!" does. (a verbal habit which I love and which infuriates almost everyone I know)

Also I totally love that megamind always pronounces Metro City to rhyme with atrocity.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 4:21 AM on August 25, 2015 [4 favorites]

Also also, this came out 6 years after The Incredibles (Not that I disagree with Mr.Encyclopedia's point in the slightest) but it's direct comparison was Despicable Me, which has gone on to spawn the Minions marketing phenomena (which is also a film?).
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 4:30 AM on August 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

Just this guy, y'know, do we live in the same house? Plus, my boys got introduced to some very good classic rock via this movie.
posted by nubs at 8:09 AM on August 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

I remember liking this movie a lot more when it came out than I did on rewatch. The plot still stands up pretty well -- loved the nice guy bad guy twist -- but there are a lot of cultural references that already felt dated to me, as did the music.

I do think it deserves a sequel where Megamind gives Roxanne the powers though, and they fight crime together. Even with the nice message about toxic masculinity, she didn't get much of a characterization beyond spunky love interest.

This may have been the first thing I 'saw' David Cross in though, and he really should do more voiceover work, he does a wonderful job here. (And checking IMDB, apparently does a lot more voiceover work I didn't know about!)
posted by possibilityleft at 6:45 PM on August 27, 2015 [3 favorites]

Metrocity
Melancholy
School

Still always mispronounced in my home.
posted by DigDoug at 3:57 PM on November 4, 2015