Megamind vs The Doom Syndicate Review
The original ‘Megamind,’ released in 2010, was a new, humorous, and touching animated comedy with highly innovative graphics and A-list voice talent like Will Farrell, Tina Fey, Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and David Cross. Fourteen years later, this new straight-to-stream film lacks originality, with unoriginal images and primarily generic voice talent.
One of the things that characterized the title character Megamind in the 2010 animated picture was his limited wit, which made him humorous and allowed you to cheer for him throughout the plot. The sequel, which is coming out much later than expected, is charged with presenting Megamind as a full-fledged hero with a villainous past, as well as what this means for Metro City residents and the protagonist. But, even after a few minutes, it's evident that Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate has no idea what to do with any of its cast.
The sequel, which begins only two days after the events of Megamind, follows the villain-turned-hero as he learns to accept his new persona. His life becomes harder when he is visited by The Doom Syndicate, his old crew, who still believe Megamind is a significant villain plotting to take over Mega City. Meanwhile, he struggles with three pals who want to be the new hero's sidekick.
Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate was billed as the extended first episode of the companion series Megamind Rules!, as the production values surely reflect this. The film has a really unimpressive style for a feature film, with lifeless production design and simplistic character designs that do little to bring the tale to life. Megamind 2 falls flat in an era of stunning animations like Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Funny enough, you wouldn't expect a character's personality to change when the voice actor is replaced, yet that exactly occurs here. When Will Ferrell portrayed Megamind, he had a newfound zest that concealed a frantic effort to be accepted. All of it is gone with Ferguson and the fact that only a few days have passed between films makes Megamind appear to have changed personalities completely in the wink of an eye.
The same is true for the supporting characters' voices and separate plotlines. Roxanne (Laura Post) wants to do more than just report on disasters in Mega City, but Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simons' script has no clue how to link where she begins and concludes the film. In fact, her conclusion is quite unexpected. Additionally, Ol' Chum or Minion in the original film (Josh Brener) wants to show his value, which drives him to leave Megamind, but we never really witness the character's progress.
These kind of shallow narratives are common in TV shows that are primarily intended to distract children. The movie ignores the fact that many of the original's fans have grown up, and the sequel provides nothing for them. This would be OK if the film concentrated on being hilarious, but Megamind 2 lacks comedy, with only the occasional quip.
Ultimately, Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate feels like a surface-level made-for-television film. The purpose is clear: to transfer fans to the franchise's new animated series. While this method has previously worked for Dreamworks, they are now 10 years too late to profit on Megamind's popularity. The narrative is clearly lacking substance. This disconnects it from everything that made the original great. Spend your time on the numerous amazing animated films and fresh IP series that are available today, rather than Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate.