Megamind

With Megamind, DreamWorks Animation continues its tiring uphill battle to compete with long-time, computer-drawn, superior film rivals Pixar Animation Studios. Going against the latter company (who have produced such wonderful masterpieces as Toy Story and Wall-E) is no straightforward feat, but DreamWorks is clearly hard at work, bringing out some pretty darned big bazookas in recent times for more well-deserved recognition.

In 2008, they let Kung Fu Panda punch and kick its black and white paws; in 2009, they set up a win-win battle with Monsters vs. Aliens; earlier this year, they let How to Train Your Dragon spread its glorious, scaled wings; and now they're proudly letting Megamind pull the trigger of its highly destructive ray-gun -- fantastic results ensue with their latest cinematic contribution.

Bragging an A-list cast stretching from Step Brothers' Will Ferrell to 30 Rock's Tina Fey, Megamind follows the incorrigible antics of its mischievous titular character. Much like Universal's recent animation Despicable Me, our hero is a dastardly villain who takes pleasure in causing chaotic calamity, but one to be loved for his fiendish ways.

In this case, Megamind (Ferrell) is an alien who, akin to Richard Donner's 1978 Superman, is sent to Earth from his crumbling home planet at the young age of only eight days. At the same time, another infantile extraterrestrial -- who is more humanoid than Megamind -- is dispatched to our world, landing in a grand, wealthy household, while the unfortunate boy of blue tint is raised in Metro City Prison by its nefarious convicts.

When the two end up in the "Lil' Gifted House for Lil' Gifted Kids", Megamind becomes jealous of his fellow alien's popularity, and sets out to become an evil genius to rival the youngster who is to later become the big-chinned, Bruce Campbell look-alike Metro Man (voiced by Se7en's Brad Pitt).

The yin to Megamind's yang, Metro Man grows up to be the inspirational pride of Metro City, with street parties and celebrations held in the superhero's honour for constantly thwarting the schemes of his viciously vile nemesis. During one of these fully-attended ceremonies, however, Megamind manages to finally eliminate Metro Man accidentally on purpose.

Megamind is given power over the city, with an "Evil Overlord" name plate placed on his desk in town hall. For some time he is overwhelmed with joy over his long-awaited accomplishment, but soon is surprised to find that he misses his battles with his late hunky foe. With no one willing to stand up to his evil actions, the balloon-skulled alien takes matters into his own sky-coloured hands, and sets out to create his own enemy for him to fight.

The character of Megamind is a cackling, lovable nincompoop of a villain who makes for a boisterous main character. I say nincompoop, but he boasts of his high intelligence and ability to design complex, futuristic gadgets for his wickedly heartless evil-doings. Still, he's mostly incompetent in his attempts to obliterate the greater good. And he mispronounces words all the time. Ferrell's voice aptly emits fumes of vanity for the smug, egotistical alien, showing that the Anchorman star is a brilliantly enticing voice artist.

His minion, suitably named Minion, is a bulky robot controlled by an interstellar fish. Given to Megamind by his parents to be his loyal guardian, Minion wavers between being a bit of a buffoon, and showing more of a reasonable thought process than his bulb-headed boss. The voice of Arrested Development star David Cross makes the gilled water-breather a likable partner of the film's central anti-hero.

Tina Fey plays the super-crook's routine damsel in distress news reporter who knows no fear when it comes to Megamind's ploys. The blue-eyed TV journalist, named Roxanne Ritchi, has a heart of pure gold, despising the antics of the heinous villain, only wanting what is right for the city she loves. The Lois Lane to Metro Man, Roxanne is bereaved by his unexpected demise, and is desperate for things to be set straight once again.

Superbad star Jonah Hill is the voice of Miss Ritchi's dorky cameraman, who has a creepy, stalkerish obsession with his short-haired boss. A hapless, chubby goofball, Hal is always awkwardly asking out the woman he films during her live reports, and is always turned down, her constant refusals leading to some disastrous trouble down the road when Hal goes through an extraordinary transformation.

And then there's Metro Man, the fetching, supposedly invincible, muscular crime-fighter who puts (or put) his justice-keeping duties before everything else. A charmer in his own right, he is everything Megamind is not, given an alluringly seductive voice by Fight Club's Brad Pitt.

Our director dazzles us with exciting, vibrant visuals, his exuberant direction one of the definite highlights of the film, gracefully standing alongside the strongly rendered computer animation. It's of no surprise then that Tom McGrath also helmed the similarly luxurious feast-for-the-eyes Madagascar and its 2008 sequel.

The writing by Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons caters to the occasional weak and predictable joke, but nonetheless blasts the film with a giggling sense of childish fun. This being the pair's first script, they impress with titteringly witty moments heavily sprinkled throughout the film, providing some jolly good gags that will tickle the funny bones of kids, teens and grown-ups alike.

Megamind is a film to be enjoyed by all the family, with a sense of humour that will very much appeal to both toddlers and adults. Presented in 3D, it's a visual carnival that unveils some gloriously arresting characters all portrayed by a terrific vocal cast. It's funny, energetic, lively and, most of all, great entertainment. Oh, and it also has the rich, splendid voice of a certain Mrs. Tina Fey. Purrrr.

8/10