Eric Darnell

Animals from Central Park Zoo are marooned in Madagascar.

2.5/4 (Okay).

There is some truly horrendous animation, and also some racism. But a surprising amount of the humor is actually funny (maybe 50% or more), and the story structure doesn't have any major problems.

When Marty the zebra begins to question his life in the zoo, he makes plans to run away. Unfortunately, his decision spirals out of control and he, along with his friends Alex the Lion, Gloria the hippo, and Melman the giraffe, end up stranded on an island. Once in the wild, the animals’ encounters with crazy lemurs and vicious fossa make them realize the zoo might not have been so bad. Ultimately, the strength of their friendship is put to the test as Alex begins to succumb to his show more predatory instincts. Madagascar’s plot is simple and places a great deal of importance on friendship. The colorful scenery and the exaggeratedly cartoonish animals make the movie visually enjoyable. The animals spend a lot of the movie shouting at each other from excitement, anger, or fear. Though this becomes tiring, it is only a mild distraction. Much of the movie is based off of physical humor that children should enjoy. There is some mature humor as well, but this will mostly go over the heads of younger viewers. Madagascar is most appropriate and enjoyable for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. It is recommended for the movie section of public libraries. show less

Life is no picnic for Z, a small worker ant with some very big ideas, whose chances with the beautiful Princess Bala are literally one in a billion. When Z convinces his soldier ant buddy to switch places with him, his simple life takes a wild turn.

In the highly-anticipated sequel to Madagascar; Alex; Marty; Melman; Gloria; King Julien; Maurice and the penguins and the chimps find themselves marooned on the distant shores of Madagascar. In the face of this obstacle; the New Yorkers have hatched a plan so crazy it just might work. With military precision; the penguins have repaired an old crashed planeasort of. Once aloft; this unlikely crew stays airborne just long enough to make it to the wildest place of allathe vast plains of show more Africa; where the members of our zoo-raised crew encounter species of their own kind for the very first time. Africa seems like a great placea]but is it better than their Central Park home? show less