Megamind 2010

David Germain, Associated Press: Unfortunately, the underdeveloped story and characters seem to be there to service the visuals, rather than the other way around. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: You'll enjoy it. And then you'll forget it. Read more

Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: ... 'Well, that was fun. A lot better than I expected.' An assessment with which this reviewer can concur. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: A witty 3-D animated deconstruction of superhero movies. Read more

Keith Uhlich, Time Out: This is the kind of movie where "Bad to the Bone" is considered a clever musical cue because, you know, Megamind is bad. To the bone. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: Cute and funny at times, but with a lot of dead spots. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: One of those movies that disappears too quickly, leaving memories of better ones in its wake. Read more

Tasha Robinson, AV Club: There's nothing wrong with animation aimed at adults, but this may be the first kids' movie that throws fewer bones to its supposed intended viewers than to their parents. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: This is Ferrell's movie, meaning some inspired laughs sandwiched between annoying bits that stretch on well past their usefulness. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: Megamind is well-versed in superhero routine without turning blase. The boredom of formulas and roles and expectations is very much its point. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: [A] handsome and generally amusing adventure. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: You have seen all this before. Read more

Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle: I do love Ferrell, whose absurdist man-child routine has always been a matter of taste. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: No doubt some of it is charming enough to induce giggles in its preteen target audience... What's needed is a narrative invention to match the technical invention. Read more

Joy Tipping, Dallas Morning News: Ferrell, Fey and Hill acquit themselves hilariously, and Cross steals the movie as Minion. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: The story's the thing. And this one is as subtly deep as it is ridiculously fun. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: Megamind is less a satire of dastardly deeds than a nimbly spectacular comedy of ego. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: The second big animated feature of the year, after Despicable Me, to center on an arch-villain who sees the error of his ways, Megamind is snappy good fun. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: More impressive than the multi-dimensions is "Megamind's" minimalist, modernist look. It creates a crispness that feels more contemporary than retro, which not only is very aesthetically pleasing but makes it easier to savor the film's many sight gags. Read more

Bruce Diones, New Yorker: The fast-paced wisecracks and ironic asides that are the studio's hallmark help to push the film past the lumpy, generic storytelling. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: Small children are likely to be disappointed by the paucity of silly slapstick or bathroom gags, while their older siblings will probably fidget at the lack of scares. Read more

Bob Mondello, NPR: The kiddie set can chortle at Megamind's slapstick and its goofy one-upmanship while adults get a kick out of all the smart spatial tricks that highlight the 3-D effects. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: Middle-School boys are the target audience for the shifting personalities, robot minions and building-smashings. People above that age will mostly just endure it all... Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: This animated feature is what Yogi Berra called "deja vu all over again," its shopworn premise most recently having served the marginally better "Despicable Me" this summer. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: Megamind has momentum and dazzle. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Megamind is largely what one might expect from an animated movie featuring a number of notable comedians in voice roles: an amusing diversion. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: This set-up is bright and amusing, even if it does feel recycled from bits and pieces of such recent animated landmarks as The Invincibles with its superpowers and Despicable Me with its villain. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: What this raucous 3D animated fun house lacks in originality (think bastard child of The Incredibles and Despicable Me) it makes up for in visual and vocal wit. Read more

Josh Levin, Slate: Mostly, the jokes and the recurrent attempts to tweak the superhero genre serve as a reminder that somebody else has already done it better. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Megamind" is a genial animated sendup of superhero flicks that should appeal to kids around the age when they're getting a bit cynical about do-gooders in capes and tights. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: The plot is rich, the execution poor. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: If it's difficult to find novelty in Megamind, it's also hard not to like. Read more

David Jenkins, Time Out: For a film whose stock in trade are tongue-in-cheek reversals of comic-book cliche, it too often settles for trite audience-pleasing. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: Megamind has some funny moments, silly mispronunciations and comical socio-political references. But it suffers from being the second animated movie this year to feature a dastardly villain for a hero. Read more

Justin Chang, Variety: Though enlivened by some moderately clever twists on the superhero-movie template, Megamind never shakes off a feeling of been-there-spoofed-that. Read more

Robert Wilonsky, Village Voice: I found my son's Kryptonite: boring superhero rip-offs voiced by check-cashing actors. At least Steve Carell used an accent. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: "Megamind" is a smart, funny and original treat. Sweet enough to deliver a message about creating your own destiny, but with just enough sour grapes not to cloy, the movie delivers pure pleasure from start to finish. Read more