So I really needed to get out of the apartment tonight. My friend Jeff suggested going to see Megamind, and while I wasn't all hot and bothered to see it, I figured what the heck. At worst I'd have a story to tell about how awful it was.
It was actually pretty good.
Let me set this up for you though. Honestly, I think the commercials for this movie don't sell it that well. I mean, I'm not fond of Will Ferrell as an actor. When he's funny, he's bloody hilarious. When he isn't, which is most of the time, he's just bloody annoying. Annoying beyond the scope of everything else annoying on the planet.
So yeah, not a lot of Will Ferrell movies in my past. What can I say.
However in Megamind he hits just the right note of over the top without going too far. It helps that he's surrounded by a great cast, including Brad Pitt (who's actually a much better actor then his looks might suggest - Check out Twelve Monkeys if you don't believe me), and Tina Fey (a geek goddess and sexy beyond belief - ok, yeah, minor celeb crush). David Cross is in it as well, who when I hear his voice I always think it's Patton Oswalt, as Minion, Megamind's henchfish.
The movie's funny, playing around with a lot of the tropes of super-heroes. While this is well trodden ground I think this movie is a nice addition, with a few twists to some traditions. However I would never really describe Megamind as all that evil. He's more frustrated and lonely then anything else, and acts out knowing the hero will stop him. When he actually wins a fight he can't believe it, and has no idea what to do with himself. He has completely based his identity on being opposite to the hero, and has to find another way to define himself when the opposition is gone.
Don't worry, I haven't given away that much. There are still plenty of twists in the movie that will surprise, including a take on the traditional reluctant hero trope.
I recommend going to see Megamind. Not strongly though. It was fun, but if you miss it in theaters you can always rent it later.
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