Megamind

As far as children's animated films go, this falls short of the mark of others, such as Pixar's hits.

Minion (David Cross) and Megamind (Will Ferrell) prepare to create a new super hero in DreamWorks Animation's MEGAMIND to be released by Paramount on November 5th. Photo credit: Courtesy of DreamWorksShow more

Megamind
Director: Tom McGrath
Starring: Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey

It seems you can't create a superhero or villain any more without giving them a complex, and this is nowhere more prevalent than in the animated world. A few years ago we had The Incredibles, a family of dysfunctioning superheroes struggling to fit into everyday life (and everyday clothing). Last year Despicable Me had a baddie who found his villainous heart melted by a group of big-eyed orphan girls. And now - out on DVD - is Megamind, an evil genius with an enormous blue head, whose ongoing and fruitless attempts to defeat the granite-jawed all-American Metro Man lead to something of a personal identity crisis. Eventually, Megamind (voiced by Will Ferrell) does the unthinkable and defeats Metro Man (Brad Pitt), taking control of Metro City. Unfortunately, in finally beating his golden-haired nemesis, Megamind doesn't find the solace he has been searching for, nor does he win the heart of his long-time crush, the TV presenter Roxanne (Tina Fey). It's all quite funny stuff, with some excellent touches. But in a film world brimming with animated brilliance, it just doesn't have the same quality as others, with the celebrity voice-lenders doing little beyond the ordinary and the plot unfortunately disappointing beyond the initial premise. It isn't terrible, and should get a laugh out of even the most miserable soul, but when you've got the likes of Toy Story 3 - along with much of Pixar's seemingly faultless output - to contend with, these days this just isn't enough.