Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Movie Talks: Megamind (2010)

As many of you my Dear Reader may know, I love a good superhero movie. That is part of the reason why Dreamwork's Megamind makes it onto my list of Top 10 Favorite Movies (only one movie per franchise or Star Wars and the Dark Knight Trilogy would be the whole list). But another reason is I feel that the movie reminds me a little bit of who I actually am. Now, before I continue, this post will have to discuss a little of the basic plot, but not enough to constitute a Spoiler Alert in my book.

The movie's main character is a Supervillain who has given himself the oh so humble title of "Megamind, Incredibly Handsome Master of All Villainy", and the plot starts with his battles with the Superman-esque "Metroman, Defender of Metro City". The story of Megamind is actually quite tragic. He was sent to Earth by his parents while their planet was being destroyed, again, more Superman references. Megamind never could fit in while he was growing up and eventually decided that if he was going to be the bad guy, he was going to be the "baddest guy ever". And so the film continues, with Megamind facing an existential crisis after beating Metroman. With no hero to fight what is the point of being a villain. He says it best in the movie when contemplating a Drinking Bird Desk Toy, alway drinking, always thirsty. This leads him to create a new hero to do battle with, however with the hero becoming a villain, Megamind must become the hero.

So what about this character do I find intriguing? While watching this movie today I was faced with a quote from the villain of this movie, Titan who says something to the effect of "we live in the real world, not some fantasy". Now those who know me personally know that, at times I can take a very bleak outlook on the world and on the nature of humanity in general. Because my ideas are so different than those I am typically around and from those I grew up with I have grown up feeling like I am the villain of the story. Not that I am evil, but I am always opposed and told that I am wrong. Maybe I am. So, watching this movie, I wonder if I am the villain in my view because I am different or because I've made myself believe that. Megamind says it himself: "I'm the bad guy. I don't save the day, I don't ride off into the sunset, and I don't get the girl". Well are we all either good guys or bad guys? Am I stuck being on side of the coin of the battle between good and evil? I've realized that I'm not stuck. Superheroes are not all the same, we all don't have to be the most liked or the best looking to be a hero. We play to our strengths and chose to be the hero. So I may get out of hand sometimes. But what superhero doesn't lose control of himself at one point or another? Even Superman, for all I dislike about him being incorruptible, fell in the Injustice storyline. But it is because we fall that we are able to see how we can become better. Maybe we have to be in the dark sometimes, just so we can know what it is like to be in the light.

I may have said some crazy things in the past. I may have thought some crazy thoughts, but in the end I'm just someone wanting to be a hero, wanting to fit in. So maybe you, Dear Reader, do not fit in. I mean, you are reading a rather non-mainstream blog, how did you even find this? But I'm glad to have you read my ramblings. Remember, we don't have to be villains just because we're not liked. We can all be heroes, even superheroes.


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