“JUST REWATCH THE ORIGINAL”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
While the original MEGAMIND had plenty to enjoy, the straight to streaming, MEGAMIND VS. THE DOOM SYNDICATE falls short of the 2010 movie. The same redemption theme runs through the sequel, but the message is muddled as Megamind lies to protect his identity. The lesson he should rely on others falls flat as it’s rehashing the morals from the original movie. The animation is noticeably low-quality to the point that it distracts from the movie. MEGAMIND VS. THE DOOM SYNDICATE has scary and violent elements, plus some insults and bathroom humor. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for younger children.
CONTENT:
Strong Christian worldview of a former villain fighting for good, with strong moral elements about teamwork mixed with the romantic notion of following your dreams and working alone;
No obscenities or profanities, but one unfinished exclamation of “What the …?”, uses of toilet humor like “butt;” “poop,” “poop machines,” and “booty,” plus mild insults like “idiot” and “shut your pie holes”;
Strong slapstick animated action and comic violence includes explosions, threats, peril, flashes of a character’s skeleton, hypnosis, near misses with vehicles, flinging of pie to face, fireballs, etc.;
No sex scenes or implied/depicted sexual immorality, but a character cracks a joke about viewers needing to “put on pants,” mentions of “romantic tension” of a couple pretending to be engaged, man and woman hug, and mentions “invasion of privacy”;
No nudity; Alcohol use: Implied alcohol use as adults attend a “rager” and drink from plastic cups;
No smoking or drugs; and,
Miscellaneous Immorality includes some lying, plotting evil plans, bad role models, hypnotizing police officers, a jailbreak, celebrating dark qualities, talk of a crime spree.
MORE DETAIL:
MEGAMIND VS. THE DOOM SYNDICATE is a sequel streaming on Peacock to the 2010 movie MEGAMIND. After giving a recap of the first movie, the sequel picks up where MEGAMIND left off, with the villain-turned-hero offered a key to the city for stopping a criminal gang from stealing a fish. Ol’ Chum, who we all know as Minion, expresses he wants to be a sidekick, but Megamind rejects him. So, Ol’ Chum heads out to forge his path.
Meanwhile, Megamind’s old band of miscreants known as The Doom Syndicate, break out of prison to visit him, thinking he’s still up to his evil ways. The group goes on a crime spree and devises a plan for Megamind to rob a bank to prove he’s still a villain. He convinces Roxanne to pretend she is engaged to him. With the help of his self-proclaimed biggest fan, Keiko, they stage a fake robbery. In the end, Ol’ Chum rejoins Megamind as he learns the power of teamwork to save Metro City from being launched to the moon by The Doom Syndicate.
It took 14 years for DreamWorks Animation to release a sequel to the blockbuster movie, MEGAMIND. One would hope the franchise would come back stronger, but MEGAMIND VS. THE DOOM SYNDICATE fails to deliver the same punch as the original movie. While there are lessons against bullying and children can learn about putting themselves aside for the greater good, the morals seem all too familiar because the same themes play out in MEGAMIND.
The streaming TV movie feels like a mere setup for the companion series on Peacock, MEGAMIND RULES! While there is plenty of action and bad behavior is rebuked in the end, between the poor animation and the flimsy plot, fans would be better off rewatching MEGAMIND if they care to preserve their love for the franchise.
MEGAMIND VS. THE DOOM SYNDICATE has scary and violent elements, plus some insults and bathroom humor. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for younger children.