Rated
PG (Some Mild Action and Rude Humor)
Running
Time: 1 Hour & 25 Minutes
Cast
(voice):
Ben
Stiller-Alex the Lion
Chris
Rock-Marty the Zebra
David
Schwimmer-Melman the Giraffe
Jade
Pinkett Smith-Gloria the Hippopotamus
Sacha
Baron Cohen-King Julien XIII the Lemur
Cedric
Antonio Kyles-Maurice the Aye-Aye
Andy
Richter-Mort the Lemur
Frances
McDormand-Captain Chantel DuBois
Bryan
Cranston-Vitaly the Tiger
Jessica
Chastain-Gia the Jaguar
Martin
Short-Stefano the Sea Lion
Tom
McGrath-Skipper
Chris
Miller-Kowalski
Christopher
Knights-Private
John
DiMaggio-Rico
Conrad
Vernon-Mason the Chimpanzee
Directed
by Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, and Conrad Vernon
 |
| Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the Hippopotamus (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) find a new home among the circus in DreamWorks Animation's "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted." |
When
it comes to CG animation, DreamWorks has always been more hit-and-miss compared
to the consistent heights of Pixar, although last summer’s “Cars 2” was a dud
with critics (38% on Rotten Tomatoes) despite earning $560 million worldwide,
in addition to all the tie-in merchandise. The number of duds in DreamWorks
Animation’s filmography dwarfs that of Pixar such as 2004’s disastrous “Shark
Tale” and the latter two “Shrek” films, which were made to sell tickets rather
than tell a legitimate story. The studio also tends to release two to three
animated films per year compared to one per year for Pixar, accounting for the
lower mark in quality. However, when DreamWorks gets it right, they really get it right with 2010’s “How to
Train Your Dragon” rivaling the very best of Pixar. One of their more curious
franchises is the “Madagascar” films, which have proven to be big moneymakers
at the box office but have received lukewarm praise at best from critics. 2005’s
“Madagascar” didn’t exactly leave the most positive impression with its blocky animation
and flimsy story but the series improved with each successive installment,
culminating with “Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted,” which pulls out all the
stops to deliver the most visually
dazzling entry to date and it’s hard not to get caught up in the film’s colorful
energy despite the well-worn script and themes.
Picking up immediately after
the events of the previous film, Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra
(Chris Rock), Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer), and Gloria the Hippopotamus
(Jada Pinkett Smith) have grown restless living in Africa and decide to finally
make the journey back to the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Along with King
Julien the Lemur (Sacha Baron Cohen), Maurice the Aye-Aye (Cedric Antonio Kyles)
and the adorable Mort (Andy Richter), the quartet make their way to Monte
Carlo, France to retrieve the Penguins, led by Skipper (Tom McGrath), and have
him take them home on their patchwork plane. Meanwhile, the Penguins have spent
their time gambling away their riches in various casinos with the aid of the
chimpanzees. Alex and his friends arrive in Monte Carlo to commence ‘Operation
Penguin Extraction’ but the plan goes horribly wrong and the animals find
themselves chased by Captain Chantel DuBois (Frances McDormand), who wants
Alex’s head mounted on her wall. The group manages to evade capture by falling
in with circus troupe Zaragosa, which includes Vitaly the Tiger (Bryan
Cranston), Gia the Jaguar (Jessica Chastain) and the flamboyant sea lion
Stefano (Martin Short). They manage to convince them that they are circus
animals as well but upon learning that Zaragosa might get to perform in New
York City, the chimpanzees decide to buy the entire troupe from the owner.
However, Zaragosa has seen better days and their show in Rome ends up being a
disaster, with customers angrily demanding a refund. To have a chance at
getting back home to New York City, Alex and his friends have to reinvent the
circus into something totally unique!
“Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted” does
not reach the cinematic heights of Pixar’s films nor does it intend to as the
film’s goal is to deliver a breezy sequel that can be enjoyed by children and
to a lesser extent, adults. Moving at a quick but unrushed pace, the story from
Eric Darnell and Noah Baumbach is adequate and mines some well-worn territory
in regards to its themes of friendship, imparting the message that home does
not have to be a specific place but what you
make of it. Where this third (and supposedly final) entry shines is in its
lively tone and colorful 3D visuals. It’s amazing how much the CG animation has
improved since 2005. The comedy is of the slapstick variety and while none of
it is particularly clever or original, it’s clear that the voice cast is having
a lot of fun and their enthusiasm is clearly felt throughout the film. There
are several standout set-pieces packed within its lean eighty-five minute
running time such as a thrilling chase through the streets (and rooftops!) of
Monte Carlo but the most memorable scene is when Alex debuts the new and
improved Circus Zaragosa in London, setting off a dazzling sequence of Cirque
du Soleil-inspired stunts while Katy Perry’s Fireworks plays in the background. “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most
Wanted” also features the best use of
3D I’ve ever seen in an animated film and the extra dimension really makes all
the action come alive. I’m not the biggest advocate for 3D but if you don’t
mind paying the extra surcharge, by all means do so because this is one of
those rare times where it’s actually
worth the expense.
The celebrity voice cast is uniformly excellent, especially
Chris Rock as Marty the Zebra, whose ‘Afro Circus’ song had me laughing in
tears. Ben Stiller plays a more straight-man role as Alex the Lion and while they
get to shine in a few scenes, Jada Pinkett Smith and David Schwimmer’s
characters are ultimately underutilized. The additions to the cast are the real
highlight, with a delightful Frances McDormand as the villainous Captain
Chantel DuBois, who inspires her men with a brilliant rendition of Charles
Dumont’s Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien.
Bryan Cranston, Jessica Chastain, and Martin Short are virtually unrecognizable
with their exaggerated accents, which is a good thing since it allows you to be
more immersed with their characters. Celebrity voice casts can come off as a
gimmick but it’s clear everyone enjoyed working on the film and this shows from
their performances.
“Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted” will be released on
June 8, 2012 and has received positive reviews so far with a current score of
76% on Rotten Tomatoes, a marked improvement over the previous entries. I saw
the film at an advanced screening (which required me to wake up at seven in the
morning) and it wasn’t just the children who were having fun but also the
adults as well. Before the screening began, we were treated to a nice dance
routine to Reel 2 Real’s I Like to Move
It. The only competition it faces is Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus” but being
an R-rated film will limit its appeal despite the high anticipation from fans
so I expect “Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted” to take the top spot this
weekend with approximately $60 million. It won’t make you emotional compared to
Pixar’s films but “Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted” is an irresistibly fun
time at the movies thanks to its eclectic voice cast and bombastic 3D visuals.
Final
Rating: 4 out of 5
“In
order to get home, we will come up with an act that will blow everyone away!”
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