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Bad has never been so good. Armed with the superpower strength of a
clever concept and expertly executed in exciting 3D action, DreamWorks’
latest family comedy Megamind is the perfect match of
laugh-out-loud hilarity and big-blue-hearted warmth. As the vocal
talents of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, and Brad Pitt join forces
in this fun and surprisingly clever animation, the oddball characters
soar above other family movies with panache and an abundance of laughs
that will have both adults and kids cheering for the bad guy.
From early beginnings,
Megamind (Ferrell) has always had a difficult time fitting in with human
beings due to his looks and misjudged powers that contrast with the
handsome face and controlled strength of his nemesis Metro Man (Brad
Pitt). So with a lack of friends and much needed love at a young age,
Megamind decides being bad is the next best thing. But unlike most
villains, Megamind doesn’t necessarily set his sights on winning, but
rather on continuing his battles with the celebrated superhero Metro Man
in order to get the attention of Metro City citizens. It isn’t until
Megamind accidentally conquers Metro Man, however, that things get out
of hand.
As the conventionally
clear-cut distinction between good and evil is playfully subverted in
Megamind, it is the movie’s strong concept that bolsters the lovable
characters, clever storyline and the heart-warming lessons to be gained.
Despite his alien looks, Megamind is given a human touch as his yearning
to be loved and the loneliness that he tries to combat with evil
appearances are brought to life through Will Ferrell’s well-balanced
vocal performance – seamlessly morphing from over the top evil laughs to
more subtle humour. As a result, audiences aren’t continually bombarded
with loud, obnoxious jokes, as you might expect from such a cast of
comedic superstars, and the movie has its share of moving moments
without being too sentimental or moralistic. As the story takes twists
and turns that are both surprising and cleverly constructed, the notion
of what it takes to be a real hero is made clear without having to hit
us over the heads with cheesy lines or blatant information spoon-fed
into our eyes. And while many of the jokes depend on pop culture
references and quick-witted irony that youngsters may not fully
comprehend, there’s enough action and visual excitement to keep them
watching to the end as bright colours, flashy gadgets and catchy songs
give bad a good name.
With so many animations
following the increasingly popular trend of three-dimensional
storytelling (and getting a few extra bucks out of it too), Megamind
is one such animation that takes advantage of this mode of viewing in a
way that doesn’t shove objects in your face. The visual direction has a
snappy sense of genius to it that doesn’t seem too different from the
humour of the entire movie, and while Megamind’s schemes may not always
be successful, this is one animation that is. |
