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Megamind (2010)
Hey, a movie I watched in theaters that didn't have massive amounts of fail!
Even more amazingly, there was more than one plot twist in there that I hadn't anticipated, and in fact, until the ending, I really was unsure what was going to happen next. (In a good way. Unlike Robin Hood, in which Robin Hood + Magna Carta = WTF?!)
For one, given the trailers, I thought the main conflict was going to be between Metro Man and Megamind! For the next, Roxanne actually gets slightly more to do than just being The Girl.
I thought this did a much better job of treating superpowers vs. non-superpowers, especially when compared to The Incredibles. I also read Hal as partially being a critique of the Nice Guy trope. I am somewhat ambivalent about the male geek as a villainous figure both here and in Despicable Me, since I am pro geekery but have been freaked out by male geeks in ways very similar to how Hal comes on to Roxanne.
I would be more about Hal as a critique of the Nice Guy trope if the movie hadn't ended by emphasizing that yes, having the girl makes you the hero and not getting the girl makes you the villain and thereby putting that burden of choice on Roxanne. Also, I was going to applaud when she talked about judging by actions, not looks, and then proceeded to... completely not do so. I mean, yay, Megamind stepped back in, but I feel that is inadequate shorthand for apologizing for rampant destruction and tricking her and etc.
I realize this sounds like I didn't like it. The sad thing is, I have the above problems with the movie and the movie fails the Bechdel test on almost all levels (and it only barely qualifies for part 1 of the test by having Megamind's mother speak a single line), yet it is heads above most other Hollywood movies I have seen in the past few years. And it was actually funny!
I suspect this is way more enjoyable if you've barely seen any of the previews or read any synopses.
Even more amazingly, there was more than one plot twist in there that I hadn't anticipated, and in fact, until the ending, I really was unsure what was going to happen next. (In a good way. Unlike Robin Hood, in which Robin Hood + Magna Carta = WTF?!)
For one, given the trailers, I thought the main conflict was going to be between Metro Man and Megamind! For the next, Roxanne actually gets slightly more to do than just being The Girl.
I thought this did a much better job of treating superpowers vs. non-superpowers, especially when compared to The Incredibles. I also read Hal as partially being a critique of the Nice Guy trope. I am somewhat ambivalent about the male geek as a villainous figure both here and in Despicable Me, since I am pro geekery but have been freaked out by male geeks in ways very similar to how Hal comes on to Roxanne.
I would be more about Hal as a critique of the Nice Guy trope if the movie hadn't ended by emphasizing that yes, having the girl makes you the hero and not getting the girl makes you the villain and thereby putting that burden of choice on Roxanne. Also, I was going to applaud when she talked about judging by actions, not looks, and then proceeded to... completely not do so. I mean, yay, Megamind stepped back in, but I feel that is inadequate shorthand for apologizing for rampant destruction and tricking her and etc.
I realize this sounds like I didn't like it. The sad thing is, I have the above problems with the movie and the movie fails the Bechdel test on almost all levels (and it only barely qualifies for part 1 of the test by having Megamind's mother speak a single line), yet it is heads above most other Hollywood movies I have seen in the past few years. And it was actually funny!
I suspect this is way more enjoyable if you've barely seen any of the previews or read any synopses.
no subject
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts - now I'm looking forward to it even more, lol. :3
no subject
Also, clearly there is a slash relationship between Megamind and Metro Man that the movie only barely disguises!