Hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of moviemanMDG's "Movie Talk", where I talk about everything film-related. The 2020s started the new decade on the wrong foot with the COVID-19 pandemic and the despicable actions of the former president, who shall not be named. In fact, the current events made me hearken back to when the start of a new decade resulted in some fond memories, mainly in 2010. 2010 was the beginning of the decade that gave rise to new cinematic technologies, primarily 3D, due to the popularity of James Cameron's "Avatar", and gave us some of the year's most memorable movies. Not to mention the ones we love to forget about. However, the one thing that made 2010 special was the battle between two cartoon bald supervillains seeking world domination. Universal gave us Gru from "Despicable Me", which transformed Illumination into the money-making animation studio we know today, while DreamWorks Animation gave us the blue-skinned, big-brained "Megamind". While "Despicable Me" won the battle from the critical and financial standpoints, DreamWorks's superhero comedy won audiences's hearts despite being one of the studio's lowest-grossing films of that year. "Megamind" wasn't considered one of the studio's strongest movies, but it eventually gained a cult following as the years passed, mainly due to the power of internet memes. It was also popular enough to kickstart a franchise consisting of video games and the short film "The Button of Doom". Unfortunately, it had yet to provide an actual sequel to satisfy the blue-skinned supervillain-turned-hero's fans. That is until now. Fourteen years after the release of "Megamind", DreamWorks finally answered the fans' demands with a long-awaited continuation of Megamind's rise to heroism, but not in the way we expected. In 2022, the streaming service Peacock announced it ordered a CG animated sequel series to "Megamind" with the film's original writers, Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simons, returning and a scheduled 2024 release. We didn't hear that much about the "Megamind" series since then until last month when its trailer revealed that we're not only getting the series on Peacock but also a sequel film titled "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate", which would tie directly to the show. Unfortunately, the trailer was met with a lot of disdain instead of joy for multiple reasons, including the absence of the original cast and the lackluster made-for-television quality. Considering that it's made by DreamWorks Animation Television, the expectations weren't exactly high to begin with, but then again, it's also responsible for creating a few good shows like "Trollhunters" and "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power". But, of course, that doesn't stop the fans from already claiming "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" as the worst film of the year, with or without seeing the film. I'm sorry, but have they seen "The Underdoggs"? That alone begs me to question whether this long-awaited follow-up to "Megamind" really is as bad as people said it was, or it's just another case of people being immature babies over a harmless product. Since I enjoyed the first film when it first came out, I decided to find out for myself...a few weeks after its debut. In this episode of Movie Talk, I'll be sharing my thoughts on Peacock's animated double feature that's as big as Megamind's blue cranium. I'll be reviewing not only the sequel film but also the series packaged with it titled "Megamind Rules!" meaning you'll be getting two reviews for the price of one. Plus, it'll be my first time sharing my thoughts on a television series since the "Inhumans" IMAX event. But before I get to it, I should talk about who or what "Megamind" is as a film to refresh our memories and introduce the newcomers. "Megamind" was released in theaters on November 5, 2010, and was directed by Tom McGrath, known for directing the "Madagascar" trilogy and the "Boss Baby" films. It tells the story of Megamind, voiced by Will Ferrell, a brilliant alien supervillain who, along with his best friend, Minion (David Cross), battles his long-time nemesis Metro Man (Brad Pitt) for control over Metro City. He eventually succeeds when his latest plan results in Metro Man's defeat. However, Megamind is also left without a purpose and no superhero to fight. Hence, he decides to create a new one from Hal Stewart (Jonah Hill), the cameraman to reporter Roxanne Ritchi (Tina Fey). But when Hal becomes an even worse villain than he was, Megamind must rise to become Metro City's newest hero. I remember when I first watched "Megamind" in the theater. My go-to cinema was in the middle of upgrading its interior design when it first came out, but it managed to stay open despite that. It further shows that cinemas always find a way to remain open despite the changes, except for COVID-19. That was one of those rare occasions when the cinemas actually shut down. Fortunately, the construction didn't get in the way of me experiencing Will Ferrell being a supervillain. It's been a while since I watched the film, but I remember liking it upon my first watch. Was it as fantastic as "How to Train Your Dragon"? No. But it's also one of the movies from DreamWorks Animation that compensates for their flawed and formulaic storytelling with a talented voice cast, solid animation, and fun humor. It made me wish I could watch it again for free on a streaming service before watching its sequels, but it looked like that wouldn't happen for a while. Now that we know who Megamind is, it's time for the moment we've all been waiting for. Let's find out if the follow-ups on Peacock deserve to be supervillains themselves for the wrong reasons. Let's start things off with the straight-to-streaming sequel that's as long as an Illumination film: "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate". The movie serves as a sequel to "Megamind" and the pilot for the series "Megamind Rules!" but doesn't include the original cast. Instead, the movie has the likes of Keith Ferguson, Laura Post, Josh Brener, Scott Adsit, Tony Hale, and Adam Lambert. It was directed by Eric Fogel, who was best known for creating "Celebrity Deathmatch". He's also known for directing the direct-to-DVD movies "My Scene Goes Hollywood" and "The Barbie Diaries" and several television shows such as "The Head", "Daria", and "Starveillance". The film occurs two days after the events of the first film, which sees Megamind (Ferguson) assuming the role of Metro City's newest hero. Unfortunately, Megamind would later find his new role challenged by the sudden return of the Doom Syndicate, his former supervillain team who believes Megamind is still evil. When the Doom Syndicate plans to use one of Megamind's earlier plans to launch Metro City to the moon, the blue hero must team up with Roxanne (Post), Ol' Chum (Brener), formerly Minion, and social media influencer/super fan Keiko (Maya Aoki Tuttle) to defeat the supervillain team and put his criminal past behind for good. The Doom Syndicate was originally formed as part of the first film's early draft, but it was scrapped and later reused for the tie-in game "Megamind: Ultimate Showdown". The sequel allowed the filmmakers the opportunity to use this concept once more, with Behemoth (Chris Sullivan) and Lady Doppler (Emily Tunon) being the only members returning from the scrapped version. So, I'm guessing that this team wasn't "doomed" after all. I haven't played "Ultimate Showdown", so the sequel is actually my first encounter with these characters. However, I did play "Megamind: Mega Team Unite" more than a decade ago, and you can find those videos on my YouTube channel…or don't. My older videos aged like expired milk. But with these new antagonists comes the challenge of crafting a story that earns their presence and expands its predecessor's world-building. More importantly, it has to have a reason for its justified existence other than a distraction for younger viewers, similar to most animated sequels. DreamWorks Animation has succeeded with "Shrek", "How to Train Your Dragon", "Kung Fu Panda", and even "Madagascar". Unfortunately, with DreamWorks Animation Television taking over the development of a "Megamind" sequel, it's easy to admit that their objective seemed to be a lot tougher regarding the limitations of the quality and narrative. After watching the film, it's becoming evident that the concerns for it are indeed real. Regarding its story, characters, and quality, "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" is nothing more than a throwaway piece of animation content designed to please the lowest demographic: kids. The first "Megamind" movie was an amusingly entertaining parody of the superhero tropes we've been familiar with for years. Despite taking several cues from other animated movies, its greatest strength was the execution of its twists on the genre template, giving it enough of a boost to be its own hero. On the other hand, "Doom Syndicate" seemed to be more interested in covering every superhero cliche in the book instead of using them to write a better story and memorable gags. As a result, it became an inert and less-entertaining carbon copy of the genre its predecessor made fun of fourteen years ago. The movie did have a heartwarming message about teamwork, with Megamind learning to accept help from others instead of looking out for himself. However, since its script offered one-dimensional characters, mundane humor, and predictable story beats, the message felt less rewarding than being promoted to hero or even sidekick. That's not to say a story like this can't work since it has some interesting ideas like Megamind facing his villainous past. It's the execution of its narrative beats that matter, and from the looks of it, the filmmakers did seem lost in what made the first movie good in the first place, especially its writers Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simons. It's also tough to say that the animation didn't fare any better. Unlike the first film, "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" was animated by 88 Pictures, with production services by Doberman Pictures. You haven't heard of these animation companies? Neither have I, and it's understandable why. Despite maintaining the same designs and style as its predecessor, the movie's presentation is where it immediately soared into lackluster territory from minute one. Regarding its cheap quality and dull camera movements, the film is more equivalent to the DreamWorks television shows on Nickelodeon than the likes of "Trollhunters" and "She-Ra". It's fine if it's crafted as a 25-minute episode, but an 85-minute movie made for streaming? That's overreaching it. If there's one thing I can credit "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" for, it's that the voice cast was passable for the most part. They're nowhere near as charismatic and entertaining as Will Ferrell, David Cross, and Tina Fey, but when they're not attempting to match the original actors' appeal, they are not that bad. Keith Ferguson previously voiced Megamind in the video games, so his return to the role seemed like a no-brainer given how well he worked together on the games with DreamWorks. Despite not being as flattering as Ferrell, Ferguson did all right in portraying Megamind's intelligent yet buffoonery personality, even though he's more of the latter occasionally. Laura Post and Josh Brener were also acceptable as Roxanne and Ol' Chum, respectively. Overall, "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" is admittedly a doomed piece of streaming animation that lacks the charm, wit, and heart of its heroic predecessor. While its voice cast made a tiny effort in their performances, they're sadly not enough to save the day from the clutches of its cheap television quality, poor storytelling, and lackluster animation. It doesn't take a genius to realize its expendability made by DreamWorks. I might have been more forgiving if it was framed as episodes of a television show like "Megamind Rules!". However, since it's designed as a movie for streaming, I have to acknowledge the studio's lack of passion and effort to meet its fans' demands. If I were to grade the film, I would, unfortunately, give it an F. It's an effortless cash-in, more so than the other sequels from DreamWorks Animation like "Boss Baby", but it's not something I lose sleep over. Okay! Now that we got that piece of animation trash out of the way, it's time for me to look at its series counterpart: "Megamind Rules!" Yeah, he rules all right. He rules with a lackluster blue fist. If you're lucky enough to survive 85 minutes of charmless fluff, you'll be fortunate with a mid-credit scene that offers a few teases leading to the series. Of course, the big one is the reveal of the evilest brain in town, Machiavillain, voiced by none other than the recent lead vocalist for Queen, Adam Lambert. And I thought Tony Hale as the donut shop owner was a bizarre casting choice. This brings us to "Megamind Rules!", an eight-episode series depicting Megamind's attempt to be Metro City's new superhero and viral sensation. If you've been spending countless hours watching television shows, mainly ones from streaming, you'll know that "Megamind Rules!" follows the formula of stitching together formulaic episodes to form a massive seasonal plot. Some episodes include Megamind competing against the new hero, Dude Monkey, for internet stardom and Ol' Chum cloning himself while caring for an insomniac Megamind. Amid these episodes, the return of the Doom Syndicate played a role in forming a regeneration machine to revive the body of their leader, Machiavillain, who was Megamind's former mentor before Megamind accidentally killed him. His plan is fully realized in the final two episodes, where Machiavillain replaces Megamind as the city's hero by framing him for his actions. I wasn't expecting much from the series following my experience with the movie, which is typical for my experience watching shows based on DreamWorks's catalogue. Most of the time, the strategy makes my viewing pleasure more tolerable, but sometimes it doesn't. However, after watching "Megamind Rules", I realized that it winds up being the former. Does that make it a good show? Not really, but I wasn't bored out of my mind since it actually made an effort in its humor and plots, unlike its 85-minute pilot. With each episode being 23 minutes long, it makes the animation style and seasonal narrative more forgiving due to it being framed as…well, a streaming series. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to make up for the episodes's formulaic structures we've seen in other children's shows before despite their kid-friendly messages. One such example is its fourth episode, "MegaMayor", which involves a Freaky Friday-style plot with Megamind and Roxanne switching bodies with his disguise watch. Fortunately, I found a couple of episodes that I enjoyed a bit more than others. One of them is the second episode, "The Villainous Origin of Mr. Donut", where Megamind accidentally creates a new villain out of Mr. Donut, voiced by Hale. That episode offered an amusing jab at the "hero creating a villain" trope we've seen in countless superhero movies, hearkening back to the first film parodying the superhero genre. It may not have the strongest dialogue to provide the biggest laughs, but the second episode somehow understood the first film's parodic appeal a tad more than the remaining ones. I also liked the final two episodes, mainly because the previous episodes come full circle regarding their characters, including Keiko, who realizes that being a hero isn't as easy as it appears. Overall, "Megamind Rules!" was tolerable enough to sit alongside DreamWorks's other movie-based shows. That doesn't make it a great show, though, as it's still beyond its reach of matching the heights of the 2010 film. Despite a few enjoyable episodes, the series lacked anything else to justify its existence regarding its formulaic plots and hit-and-miss humor. But, on the bright side, I didn't find myself bored while watching it, which is enough for me to see what direction it'll go for its future episodes. We have no idea when it'll release the next set of episodes as of this writing, but I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to cancel it altogether. In conclusion, the "Megamind" follow-ups on Peacock are another example of a studio providing quantity over quality regarding its televised content. This shouldn't come as a surprise to me, considering that DreamWorks Animation Television is known for delivering such content in its lifetime. I should know because I have grown up watching some of them on television. "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate" was admittedly a low-brow and soulless attempt at catering to those wanting a sequel to "Megamind". On the other hand, "Megamind Rules!" was a more tolerable experience to sit through since some of the episodes put a small effort at being enjoyable despite their formulaic plots and low-quality animation. It reminded me of how "Monsters vs. Aliens" went through. "Monsters vs. Aliens" was another somewhat enjoyable movie-genre parody from DreamWorks that spawned a less-than-stellar television show that only exists to cater to younger fans of the source material. I watched the show, unfortunately, and I forgot about it afterward, which explains its cancellation after just one season. The "Megamind" sequels would likely perform a similar task to some children, but I don't see them being fondly remembered after a few weeks. Despite the success of "Kung Fu Panda 4" and "Orion and the Dark" drying the studio's tears, this isn't a good start to the new year for the booming animation company. Hopefully, it can pick itself up with its next feature, "The Wild Robot", which already looks promising from the trailer and concept. Until then, this is moviemanMDG advising you to keep calm and watch "Orion and the Dark" instead.
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