Review - Madagascar 3

Three Rings of Fun

Alex (Ben Stiller), Marty (Chris Rock), Melman (David Schwimmer) and Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith) are still trying to get home to New York in the third installment of the Madagascar series. This time those penguins have crafted the plane to fly…well at least for a little while until crashing down in Europe.

There they are hunted by Captain Chantel Dubbois (Frances McDormand), an animal control professional that is missing a lion mounted on her wall. Now they will race across Europe, catching up with a circus to try and find that elusive ticket home.

The circus accepts them, but not until they claim to be circus performers. Now, along with their new circus friends, the gang must perform to get an American tour that will include a ticket back to New York.

The penguins are back, the chimps are back…the whole gang that makes Madagascar fun return to provide new laughs as they journey across Europe via train. The new animals that are part of the circus are part of the fun as the laughs exist with trying to revive a circus that has lost its way.

Still, with this installment, the penguins tend to provide the best laughs along with their sidekicks the chimps. The writing is snappy and the story keeps moving throughout the film. Visually, it works in 3D but you could do it in 2D and still have a good time. And in typical fashion with the newer films, they do a great job working in today’s music to keep the kids tapping their toes throughout.

While not the best film of the year; Madagascar 3 will make for three rings of fun for your family.

B

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted

Paramount Pictures

Director: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Conrad Vernon

Cast: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen

Rating: PG-13 for some mild action and rude humor.

Runtime: 1 hour 25 minutes