The first Madagascar was a colourful and above average animated movie. I saw its sequel last night for the first time, not sure not to expect, and I was surprised. It actually lives up to the first pretty much (and almost surpasses it), it isn't as zany in terms of humour to its original despite some very clever references, but it has more heart than the first film did. Of course the plot is very predictable and I did notice one or two similarities with the Lion King, and probably slower than pace. But it is well the watch, for a number of reasons. The animation was beautiful and very colourful, even more so than the original. The characters are still great, the penguins were great fun, but Julien was absolutely hilarious here. The voice actors bring a lot of vigour into the film, Jada Pinkett Smith has more to do here, Ben Stiller and Chris Rock provide great comedy and heart and Sacha Baron Cohen is a hoot as Julien. Plus there is a sweet romantic interlude between Melman and Gloria. All in all, a fun sequel that lives up to the first. 7/10 Bethany Cox
130 Reviews
You Got To Move It, Move It!
Ramascreen25 October 2008
Rarely have I seen animated family sequel movie that's as good or better than its predecessor but speaking as a movie freak who didn't like the first installment, I gotta say I'm very much entertained by MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 Africa and it way funnier than the original movie. Dreamworks has a habit of doing this
what it lacks in its story and overall animation (Pixar still rules in those departments!) it makes up for it in its sense of humor. This is the movie that every age can enjoy and it has only a very, very few silly, lame moments but for the most part, you just got to move it, move it! The whole team is back, it doesn't take long for you to remember what each character is all about, there's no need for re-introduction but there is a bunch of new characters thrown in to the den without having to take us in unnecessary complication of having to understand what they are. The concept is simple and the jokes are funny. Here you see all the characters stranded in Africa and meet a their own kind. It's the freedom they've always wanted but don't really want at the same time. They have trouble fitting in and getting in touch with their heritage, all the while friendship and feelings are being put to the test resulting in an exciting adventure at the end that brings them closer together again. Kids will love it, Parents will be glad about it, and the rest of us will find it to be very amusing.
MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 Africa will feel like too short of a movie, but that's also something that I can appreciate because I don't think it has any intention of trying to be all Oscar worthy, it's nothing more than telling a light, enjoyable story with good moral value lesson and that's about it. If the running time were any longer, it would lose some of its target audience. Hands down, without dragging this review any more than it has to, the best part of this movie once again, are the penguins! Those dudes are hardcore gangsters and freakin' hilarious! They should have their own spin-off, stand-alone movie, just about them scheming something deviant and mission impossible-esquire. I could watch them work together and hear their smartass, cocky remarks/attitude about a thousand more times and they'll still crack me up. If you find no reason to watch this movie, then at least watch it to check out those awesome penguins.
MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 Africa will feel like too short of a movie, but that's also something that I can appreciate because I don't think it has any intention of trying to be all Oscar worthy, it's nothing more than telling a light, enjoyable story with good moral value lesson and that's about it. If the running time were any longer, it would lose some of its target audience. Hands down, without dragging this review any more than it has to, the best part of this movie once again, are the penguins! Those dudes are hardcore gangsters and freakin' hilarious! They should have their own spin-off, stand-alone movie, just about them scheming something deviant and mission impossible-esquire. I could watch them work together and hear their smartass, cocky remarks/attitude about a thousand more times and they'll still crack me up. If you find no reason to watch this movie, then at least watch it to check out those awesome penguins.
Madagascar
demonyoyozl6 May 2009
This movie really will give you a good laugh. It is about a new adventure of the four friends: Alex the lion, Melman the giraffe, Marty the zebra, Gloria the hippo. On the trip back to New York, they had an air crash and came to Africa instead. There, they found their roots and also came across some difficulties. In this movie, there are many supporting roles. And among them, the four little penguins played an important part and even covered the other main roles for their genius and humor. From the very beginning, the four penguins spoofed the DreamWorks icon. As for their popularity, the DreamWorks even planned to make a film about the Madagascar Penguins. I'm really looking forward to it. In this movie, the film makers pictured us an amazing Africa with wild animals and beautiful landscapes. The visual effects are pretty good and impressing. And I like the theme song "Move It", really making me full of energy and feel the desire of dancing with the characters. The last scene when Marty said that "Love has no boundary", I can't agree more. And I think that this does not only apply to love between lovers but also apply to love between friends and family. All in all, this is quite a funny movie and worth watching.
Madagascar
0U17 February 2020
It's hard to say if is an improvement or not on the original, but it's certainly a good continuation of the story this time more focused on Alex's origin and life. The animation looks great, the humor is on point of course, and the characters with so much more development. With some great moments is a fun sequel to all ages!
I wanna see a spin off with the penguins!
Smells_Like_Cheese12 November 2008
I am a fan of the first Madagascar film, I know there are a lot of people who dissed it, but I thought it was cute. So when I saw the trailer for Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, I was excited. I saw it on Friday and I absolutely enjoyed this fun family film. I think this even had a more coherent plot as well, plus how could you not love the penguins? They are absolutely hilarious and need their own movie, maybe a Full Metal Jacket with penguins! Anyways, I loved the characters so much, they're back and better than ever. They even ended up giving the little old lady from the first Madagascar who fought Alex the Lion, she has a bigger role and was so awesome to watch and listen too. I think the jokes were even funnier than the first Madagascar, my favorite scene without a doubt was the plane sequence in the beginning. But the whole story was just a blast to watch.
Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman are still looking to go back to Africa, everything seems to be a good and they start to fly back with the penguins as well as Julien. But the plane runs out of fuel and crashes, they are still in Africa, but bump into an animal pack where Alex finds his long lost parents, Marty finds out that all zebras are like him(imagine being surrounded by 1,000 Chris Rocks*shudder*), Gloria has a hunky hippo who is crushing on her, and Melman becomes the giraffe witch doctor of his group. Alex is about to be initiated into his pride, but one lion does not want him part of the group and will do anything to become leader.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is definitely worth your watch, it's not the animated film of the year, but it was a lot of fun to watch. It kind of reminded me of The Lion King a little bit, it has a similar story. It's a great family film and is fun for both the kids and the adults as well. Although I still think it's funny that Alex is voiced by Ben Stiller and his dad is voiced by Bernie Mac, but it's all good, who knows, maybe Alex's dad just had a little more soul in him. I would recommend this film, it was a lot of fun to watch and I suggest we write in a script for those penguins! They're a blast to watch on screen.
7/10
Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman are still looking to go back to Africa, everything seems to be a good and they start to fly back with the penguins as well as Julien. But the plane runs out of fuel and crashes, they are still in Africa, but bump into an animal pack where Alex finds his long lost parents, Marty finds out that all zebras are like him(imagine being surrounded by 1,000 Chris Rocks*shudder*), Gloria has a hunky hippo who is crushing on her, and Melman becomes the giraffe witch doctor of his group. Alex is about to be initiated into his pride, but one lion does not want him part of the group and will do anything to become leader.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is definitely worth your watch, it's not the animated film of the year, but it was a lot of fun to watch. It kind of reminded me of The Lion King a little bit, it has a similar story. It's a great family film and is fun for both the kids and the adults as well. Although I still think it's funny that Alex is voiced by Ben Stiller and his dad is voiced by Bernie Mac, but it's all good, who knows, maybe Alex's dad just had a little more soul in him. I would recommend this film, it was a lot of fun to watch and I suggest we write in a script for those penguins! They're a blast to watch on screen.
7/10
Not as witty as the original
adamonIMDb16 April 2017
The original 'Madagascar' was one of the funniest animated films I'd seen in a long time, characterised by witty humour, hilarious one-liners and some brilliantly funny characters. The sequel is unfortunately a downgrade, a cut-and-paste job that loses a lot of what made the first movie so good.
The plot in the sequel isn't as interesting, in fact there's not much of a 'plot' - not a lot happens. It did make me laugh on occasions, but no where near as much as the first film. 'Madagascar 2' is a decent enough sequel but it's not as witty and smart as the original.
The plot in the sequel isn't as interesting, in fact there's not much of a 'plot' - not a lot happens. It did make me laugh on occasions, but no where near as much as the first film. 'Madagascar 2' is a decent enough sequel but it's not as witty and smart as the original.
A Nutshell Review: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
DICK STEEL8 November 2008
Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith are back in their animated animal roles which 3 years ago saw their zoo animals being transported to Madagascar in a typical fish out of water tale, where they had to rely on their street smarts and friendship to survive in an environment they do not fully understand. While it's the usual pop-culture jokes and witty one liners that plague recent animated films, there were some gems in that movie, the ones which stuck suck as the crowd favourite penguins stealing the whole show, as well as the madcap rave party tune Move It!
Beginning directly where we last saw Alex the Lion (Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Rock), Melman the Giraffe (Schwimmer) and Gloria the Hippo (Smith), the penguins have finally built a plane that ought to bring our merry crew back to New York, together with Julien the lemur (Sacha Baron Cohen) and his sidekick (Cedric the Entertainer), but of course should that happen, there'll be no sequel to begin with. So we have the crew crash land into the continent Africa, thereby guaranteeing yet another tale of being from the outside, but now having a habitat that's much closer to their natural environment, one which sees the animal types in question grouped together into one reserve for storytelling convenience.
Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, who also provided the voice of Skipper the head penguin, the storyline might seem like a poor man's cousin to Disney's The Lion King, what with exiles and alpha-lions battling it out to be king of the habitat. The filmmakers had taken the opportunity to craft the backstory for Alex a little more, so that the main plot of his return to his home could be dwelled upon, with sub plots for the others to fall into place. You have Alex's return and reunion with his parents, with adversary coming from an earlier generation, there's Marty who discovers that he's no longer unique but the same as every other hundredth zebra out there, Glora looking for love with other hippos now that there's no lack of suitors, and Melman fighting his own cowardice to reveal his feelings for Gloria, as well as being appointed the witch doctor for the land.
And if you think that the primary voice cast is already A-list, the film piles on to that list with the likes of the late Bernie Mac voicing Zuba the alpha-lion, Alec Baldwin again in a villainous role as his rival Makunga, and Will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas in a hilarious role of hippo-Casanova Moto Moto (the name's so good you have to say it twice!) The songs department falls up a bit short this time round, though thankfully "Move It!" wasn't conveniently and lazily played ad-nauseam. Given the army of illustrators working on the project, you can't expect quality to drop from its predecessor, though there's nothing new to be injected into a mature presentation.
Despite the plundering of the same old family values / theme / storyline and the importance of establishing strong friendships, this new Madagascar managed to deliver on multiple fronts, joining the ranks of the few whose sequels are superior than the original. The comedy which got piled up here managed to work through the punchlines, leading to a number of characters like the monkeys and even the tough-cookie granny to steal some limelight from the lovable penguins. If you liked the original, then you'e likely to fall in love with this one.
Beginning directly where we last saw Alex the Lion (Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Rock), Melman the Giraffe (Schwimmer) and Gloria the Hippo (Smith), the penguins have finally built a plane that ought to bring our merry crew back to New York, together with Julien the lemur (Sacha Baron Cohen) and his sidekick (Cedric the Entertainer), but of course should that happen, there'll be no sequel to begin with. So we have the crew crash land into the continent Africa, thereby guaranteeing yet another tale of being from the outside, but now having a habitat that's much closer to their natural environment, one which sees the animal types in question grouped together into one reserve for storytelling convenience.
Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, who also provided the voice of Skipper the head penguin, the storyline might seem like a poor man's cousin to Disney's The Lion King, what with exiles and alpha-lions battling it out to be king of the habitat. The filmmakers had taken the opportunity to craft the backstory for Alex a little more, so that the main plot of his return to his home could be dwelled upon, with sub plots for the others to fall into place. You have Alex's return and reunion with his parents, with adversary coming from an earlier generation, there's Marty who discovers that he's no longer unique but the same as every other hundredth zebra out there, Glora looking for love with other hippos now that there's no lack of suitors, and Melman fighting his own cowardice to reveal his feelings for Gloria, as well as being appointed the witch doctor for the land.
And if you think that the primary voice cast is already A-list, the film piles on to that list with the likes of the late Bernie Mac voicing Zuba the alpha-lion, Alec Baldwin again in a villainous role as his rival Makunga, and Will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas in a hilarious role of hippo-Casanova Moto Moto (the name's so good you have to say it twice!) The songs department falls up a bit short this time round, though thankfully "Move It!" wasn't conveniently and lazily played ad-nauseam. Given the army of illustrators working on the project, you can't expect quality to drop from its predecessor, though there's nothing new to be injected into a mature presentation.
Despite the plundering of the same old family values / theme / storyline and the importance of establishing strong friendships, this new Madagascar managed to deliver on multiple fronts, joining the ranks of the few whose sequels are superior than the original. The comedy which got piled up here managed to work through the punchlines, leading to a number of characters like the monkeys and even the tough-cookie granny to steal some limelight from the lovable penguins. If you liked the original, then you'e likely to fall in love with this one.
Better than the original
dcandido7 November 2008
I thought that the first Madagascar had promising characters and a decent premise, but it was very poorly put together. My son, who was 8 or 9 at the time loved the movie, however. We saw the sequel this morning and we both agreed - it was much better than the original. And, since part II begins with a brief summary of part I, there is no need to see the first one to understand what's happening in the new movie. All the main characters are back and there are many new ones as well. Going in, the big question on my mind was "do the penguins play a bigger role in the sequel?"... answer is "Yes, but not much bigger". All in all an enjoyable movie that outshines it's predecessor!
Another Madagascar Winner
ccthemovieman-13 March 2009
Well, so far "Madagascar" is two-for-two in the laughs department. This is just as good, if not better, than the first film.
It's another good example of the "new" (last 10 years) kind of animated feature film that adults can enjoy just as much as the kids. In some cases, perhaps like this one, adults would laugh even more because many of the gags might over the kids' heads. I'm not talking sexual innuendos, just references to things older people could recognize.
It isn't just the writing that is excellent; the artwork is spectacular, especially on Blu-Ray. The colors and the detail are just amazing! More than once, my jaw dropped at what I was seeing on the TV screen. Like the first Madagascar, the high-def images are truly spectacular.
The combination of humor, drama, family and friendship ties and romance all make this a wonderful animated movie and the 90 minutes zip by.
It's another good example of the "new" (last 10 years) kind of animated feature film that adults can enjoy just as much as the kids. In some cases, perhaps like this one, adults would laugh even more because many of the gags might over the kids' heads. I'm not talking sexual innuendos, just references to things older people could recognize.
It isn't just the writing that is excellent; the artwork is spectacular, especially on Blu-Ray. The colors and the detail are just amazing! More than once, my jaw dropped at what I was seeing on the TV screen. Like the first Madagascar, the high-def images are truly spectacular.
The combination of humor, drama, family and friendship ties and romance all make this a wonderful animated movie and the 90 minutes zip by.
The animation was better, there is a stronger story, there is more heart....but....
diac22810 November 2008
The original Madagascar was a break from the typical mold in family animated entertainment; it was fearless, didn't slow down to teach a lesson, and was not afraid of entertaining solely on physical humor. The content was light, but it was so satisfying that it wound up being Dreamwork's second best animated movie of them allbehind Shrek. The zany cast of characters easily exceeds the number of memorable characters in Shrek, and contained more humor and creativity than all of the other Dreamworks animated flicks before and ever since.
In the second installment, you see the writers trying to give the franchise a dosage of heart and sentimentality, which is what made Shrek the instant classic it became. A bit of heart can definitely propel an animated movie into masterpiece status (see Toy Story and Finding Nemo) however this is not the franchise to do it. Madagascar is about the cast and how they interact with each other and the conflict that is presented onto them. While the laughs are definitely here, the attempt for emotion constantly makes this film slows down and keeps it from being a superior installment when placed against the original. That being said, it's still a fun, entertaining, and unpredictable movie that continues the zaniness that made the original a personal guilty pleasure of mine.
In Escape 2 Africa, we follow the New York zoo animals, the psychotic penguins, the monkeys, and the lemur leaders as they unexpectedly are stranded in the middle of Africa. While at first the main four (Marty, Alex, Melman, Gloria) are rather happy at their new environment, they quickly realize that it's not all that it seems, and that their new temporary home is splitting the four apart. In the meantime, the penguins attempt to repair the plane that they accidentally destroyed. The writers did a good job in presenting all sorts of new gags and yet again refrain from referencing pop culture too much (although the Twilight Zone nod was hilarious). But, they couldn't deliver the emotional impact because of one main reason: this franchise wasn't meant to ever slow down in terms of pacing. Like a roller coaster, this movie moves sometimes extremely fast, and then can grind into a halt in the next scene. Lastly the main four don't interact much with each other, but more with the environment. There literally are at least 8 plots happening at oncesome of them are good, some of them aren't.
The voice acting remains decent, but there are fewer lines by the original cast, and more from supporting characters and new characters. Bernie Mac, rest in peace, but his performance was rather bland and could have been done by anyone else. Alec Baldwin didn't have much of a chance to lend his comedic skills either. Yet again, the penguins and Sacha Baron Cohen steal every scene they are in, no matter how mediocre the previous scene was. Cohen (as Julien) has an obvious knack for comedy, and delivers every line perfectly for two movies in a row; not bad at all. Ben Stiller had fewer chances at being funny, as they had to handle all the major slower moments. Chris Rock's role was surprisingly limited, especially for someone who did so well in the original.
The one major improvement from the original was the animation, which was crisp, fluid, and flowed better. Surely it's undeniably no Wall-E (Or even 2007's Ratatouille), but it's still respectably an improvement over previous work. The jokes themselves are hit-and-miss like the original; the only difference is this one has more misses. Plus it's the recurring jokes that are missing; the hula girl, feisty tourist, repetitive herd, and lion-dancing bits all didn't elicit much laughter from the audience, nor from me. We just needed much more Julien, and much more penguin-action. Maybe in the future the focus will shift; in the meantime they are just grabbing all the spotlight and attention.
Bottom Line: Exactly what Scrat did to Ice Age: The Meltdown years ago, we have minor/supporting characters becoming the main hit and running the show. While the original four characters take a backseat and add emotion to a franchise that's too fast-paced for this sort of stuff, we have the penguins and Julien taking over the movie and keeping it from being another totally disappointing animated sequel like every straight-to-video Disney sequel, the ugly Shrek sequels, or Ice Age 2. The entertainment level is still magnificent the second time around, but it won't age as well as the first Madagascar did. Leave the heart to Pixar, because those folks have nailed it perfectly for years. Dreamworks can serve as the escapist cinema in terms of animation, but if they continue imitating and try to outdo Pixar, it will just dampen the quality of all their movies. Madagascar 2 is the prime example of this: purely fun and entertaining until it tries to distribute family values. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is also proof that those hilarious penguins need their own movie, pretty much immediately.
Yes, right now.
In the second installment, you see the writers trying to give the franchise a dosage of heart and sentimentality, which is what made Shrek the instant classic it became. A bit of heart can definitely propel an animated movie into masterpiece status (see Toy Story and Finding Nemo) however this is not the franchise to do it. Madagascar is about the cast and how they interact with each other and the conflict that is presented onto them. While the laughs are definitely here, the attempt for emotion constantly makes this film slows down and keeps it from being a superior installment when placed against the original. That being said, it's still a fun, entertaining, and unpredictable movie that continues the zaniness that made the original a personal guilty pleasure of mine.
In Escape 2 Africa, we follow the New York zoo animals, the psychotic penguins, the monkeys, and the lemur leaders as they unexpectedly are stranded in the middle of Africa. While at first the main four (Marty, Alex, Melman, Gloria) are rather happy at their new environment, they quickly realize that it's not all that it seems, and that their new temporary home is splitting the four apart. In the meantime, the penguins attempt to repair the plane that they accidentally destroyed. The writers did a good job in presenting all sorts of new gags and yet again refrain from referencing pop culture too much (although the Twilight Zone nod was hilarious). But, they couldn't deliver the emotional impact because of one main reason: this franchise wasn't meant to ever slow down in terms of pacing. Like a roller coaster, this movie moves sometimes extremely fast, and then can grind into a halt in the next scene. Lastly the main four don't interact much with each other, but more with the environment. There literally are at least 8 plots happening at oncesome of them are good, some of them aren't.
The voice acting remains decent, but there are fewer lines by the original cast, and more from supporting characters and new characters. Bernie Mac, rest in peace, but his performance was rather bland and could have been done by anyone else. Alec Baldwin didn't have much of a chance to lend his comedic skills either. Yet again, the penguins and Sacha Baron Cohen steal every scene they are in, no matter how mediocre the previous scene was. Cohen (as Julien) has an obvious knack for comedy, and delivers every line perfectly for two movies in a row; not bad at all. Ben Stiller had fewer chances at being funny, as they had to handle all the major slower moments. Chris Rock's role was surprisingly limited, especially for someone who did so well in the original.
The one major improvement from the original was the animation, which was crisp, fluid, and flowed better. Surely it's undeniably no Wall-E (Or even 2007's Ratatouille), but it's still respectably an improvement over previous work. The jokes themselves are hit-and-miss like the original; the only difference is this one has more misses. Plus it's the recurring jokes that are missing; the hula girl, feisty tourist, repetitive herd, and lion-dancing bits all didn't elicit much laughter from the audience, nor from me. We just needed much more Julien, and much more penguin-action. Maybe in the future the focus will shift; in the meantime they are just grabbing all the spotlight and attention.
Bottom Line: Exactly what Scrat did to Ice Age: The Meltdown years ago, we have minor/supporting characters becoming the main hit and running the show. While the original four characters take a backseat and add emotion to a franchise that's too fast-paced for this sort of stuff, we have the penguins and Julien taking over the movie and keeping it from being another totally disappointing animated sequel like every straight-to-video Disney sequel, the ugly Shrek sequels, or Ice Age 2. The entertainment level is still magnificent the second time around, but it won't age as well as the first Madagascar did. Leave the heart to Pixar, because those folks have nailed it perfectly for years. Dreamworks can serve as the escapist cinema in terms of animation, but if they continue imitating and try to outdo Pixar, it will just dampen the quality of all their movies. Madagascar 2 is the prime example of this: purely fun and entertaining until it tries to distribute family values. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is also proof that those hilarious penguins need their own movie, pretty much immediately.
Yes, right now.
The penguins need their own movie
mr_popcorn1 December 2008
I was never really a fan of the first movie, I thought it was a good premise but was poorly put together and the situations they found themselves in the first movie is just way out there. The Penguin quartet stole that show for me and was the only humorous thing that kept the movie from falling apart. I just saw this sequel just for the heck of it and in my opinion, this is a step above from its predecessor but however, not that big of a deal to me. I saw it, I laughed three or four times and maybe tomorrow I'll forget it. Its the same old schtick you saw in the first one, even that annoying old lady returns and your favorite castaways still find themselves in hilarious situations that are way out there.
It was a good thing that they added more characters but it almost felt like they were just there for decoration. Maybe throw in a couple of hilarious quips and do something that a normal animal won't do and that's that. And like in the first movie, the Penguins still stole everyone's thunder and still kept the movie from falling apart. Forget the part where a shark hops and skips across the barren wildlife of Africa and the idea of an old lady going Rocky on an adult lion, I just wanted to see these penguins cause trouble but now in a different location. They deserve a spin-off, stat.
It was a good thing that they added more characters but it almost felt like they were just there for decoration. Maybe throw in a couple of hilarious quips and do something that a normal animal won't do and that's that. And like in the first movie, the Penguins still stole everyone's thunder and still kept the movie from falling apart. Forget the part where a shark hops and skips across the barren wildlife of Africa and the idea of an old lady going Rocky on an adult lion, I just wanted to see these penguins cause trouble but now in a different location. They deserve a spin-off, stat.
A perfect sequel; totally lived up to the first
Dragoneyed3639 November 2008
I was really excited about seeing the sequel to Madagascar, because I really loved the first and thought it was one of the best animations of the decade, regardless of how underrated it is, and this looked just as good, and in my opinion it almost was. Both of them are excellent films that are nothing but fun and are super energetic from the moment they come on screen, and this just made me appreciate the first even more than I already did, and am even looking forward to a third installment. The quality of this film might seem more fast paced and careless, but it is just as lovable.
When it started up, I was immediately sucked in, and I never became uninterested and it never stopped entertaining, because they did an excellent job at keeping your attention just like the first. There were some parts in the movie where I felt as if they tried too hard to please the audience and then others it got a little dumb and boring, but overall I laughed insanely and was very pleased. When it was over I wanted to watch it again. It's a great sequel to a great movie and I enjoyed watching it as much as the first, as I have said. Some hilarious scenes like the plane crash, any scene with Moto Moto and of course Mort are lovable too. It's story is touching and fantastic as well, go see it.
When it started up, I was immediately sucked in, and I never became uninterested and it never stopped entertaining, because they did an excellent job at keeping your attention just like the first. There were some parts in the movie where I felt as if they tried too hard to please the audience and then others it got a little dumb and boring, but overall I laughed insanely and was very pleased. When it was over I wanted to watch it again. It's a great sequel to a great movie and I enjoyed watching it as much as the first, as I have said. Some hilarious scenes like the plane crash, any scene with Moto Moto and of course Mort are lovable too. It's story is touching and fantastic as well, go see it.
Madagascar 2: Return of the Penguins
shadowycat30 October 2008
As with the comment ahead of mine: it's all about the penguins. They should have their own movie.
We were chanting: more penguins, more penguins. At the screening we just saw, people who loved the first Madagascar movie waited excitedly for the magic to begin... I LOVED the first one. Interesting note: I liked the first one better, but my BF thinks this one has a better and deeper plot and pointed out in particular that while in the first one Gloria (the hippo) was the butt of many fat jokes, in this one she is celebrated just for being beautiful.
The whole movie is breathtakingly beautiful. We didn't see this on IMAX but I bet the IMAX version will be a treat.
Sascha Baron Cohen's King is again the hands-down favorite, I heard a ripple of joy murmur through the theater at everything he said and did, although my personal favorites (after the Penguins) are Maurice and Mort, the King's cohorts.
BF was also teasing me mercilessly because (and I'm nearly ashamed to admit it) there's one scene that had me totally teared up! Yes, I cried. Can't spoil it - go see the movie and tell me after if you know what choked me up! The film did not hold the attention of some of the very small children at the screening we saw, because some portions of the film only involve adult storyline concerning the adult star characters (Alec Baldwin, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, and so forth) but when the little characters are on screen (the baby lion in particular is DARLING) the children present were absolutely captivated.
It's fun. It's not the greatest movie of all time, but it's very fun and children will want to watch it again and again.
We were chanting: more penguins, more penguins. At the screening we just saw, people who loved the first Madagascar movie waited excitedly for the magic to begin... I LOVED the first one. Interesting note: I liked the first one better, but my BF thinks this one has a better and deeper plot and pointed out in particular that while in the first one Gloria (the hippo) was the butt of many fat jokes, in this one she is celebrated just for being beautiful.
The whole movie is breathtakingly beautiful. We didn't see this on IMAX but I bet the IMAX version will be a treat.
Sascha Baron Cohen's King is again the hands-down favorite, I heard a ripple of joy murmur through the theater at everything he said and did, although my personal favorites (after the Penguins) are Maurice and Mort, the King's cohorts.
BF was also teasing me mercilessly because (and I'm nearly ashamed to admit it) there's one scene that had me totally teared up! Yes, I cried. Can't spoil it - go see the movie and tell me after if you know what choked me up! The film did not hold the attention of some of the very small children at the screening we saw, because some portions of the film only involve adult storyline concerning the adult star characters (Alec Baldwin, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, and so forth) but when the little characters are on screen (the baby lion in particular is DARLING) the children present were absolutely captivated.
It's fun. It's not the greatest movie of all time, but it's very fun and children will want to watch it again and again.
I like to watch it, watch it.
krazykiter17 January 2009
Just saw this at a discount movie theater ($2.50 a seat) and that's about what it's worth. Don't watch it expecting some major innovative work of art - it isn't, nor was it meant to be. It's purely fun fluff.
Without a doubt, the penguins steal the show. Their banter and antics are just downright hysterical. Granny on the other hand, needs to be retired. A cameo of her might have been funny, but she is overused to the point of irritation.
The ill-fated aircraft ride is a raucous ride, but after that the story splits into four or five (at least) concurrent sub-plots, so enough time isn't really given to each, and the pacing tends to jerk along in spurts. Basically it seems as if the filmmakers just strung together scenes of the funniest supporting characters from the original then tried to wrap it around a Lion King send-up.
All that said, I actually liked this one better than the original. Not every movie is intended to be a piece of ground-breaking cinematic artistry and this certainly isn't. But it IS just downright fun to watch. Now if Dreamworks would just give the penguins their OWN full-length picture...
Without a doubt, the penguins steal the show. Their banter and antics are just downright hysterical. Granny on the other hand, needs to be retired. A cameo of her might have been funny, but she is overused to the point of irritation.
The ill-fated aircraft ride is a raucous ride, but after that the story splits into four or five (at least) concurrent sub-plots, so enough time isn't really given to each, and the pacing tends to jerk along in spurts. Basically it seems as if the filmmakers just strung together scenes of the funniest supporting characters from the original then tried to wrap it around a Lion King send-up.
All that said, I actually liked this one better than the original. Not every movie is intended to be a piece of ground-breaking cinematic artistry and this certainly isn't. But it IS just downright fun to watch. Now if Dreamworks would just give the penguins their OWN full-length picture...
More and more and more of the same.
pschwebe9 November 2008
99 words or less:
If you liked the first one, you'll probably like this one. The first movie centered around how the characters cope, as a group, with landing somewhere strange and unexpected. This movie is not quite as focused. They've broken it up into several sub-plots involving the main characters.
That being said, well, it's funny. It's got the zany kind of humor of the Bugs Bunny/Warner Bros. pantheon. Tongue-in-cheek, self-referential, nothing new, but hey, it's entertaining, the animation's wonderful and it-all-comes-out-right-in-the-end. Fun fluff.
I feel better now.
If you liked the first one, you'll probably like this one. The first movie centered around how the characters cope, as a group, with landing somewhere strange and unexpected. This movie is not quite as focused. They've broken it up into several sub-plots involving the main characters.
That being said, well, it's funny. It's got the zany kind of humor of the Bugs Bunny/Warner Bros. pantheon. Tongue-in-cheek, self-referential, nothing new, but hey, it's entertaining, the animation's wonderful and it-all-comes-out-right-in-the-end. Fun fluff.
I feel better now.
I don't get the hype
cricketbat30 August 2018
"Someone's been knotty"
Bored_Dragon21 July 2020
The sequel to "Madagascar" (2005) is by no means inferior to the original, and maybe even surpasses it. The reason probably lies in the fact that the same team made both films. Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria, accompanied by the inevitable penguins, cross from Madagascar to Africa and join their species with a lot of vicissitudes and healthy humor. "Escape 2 Africa" is full of witty remarks, puns, and references to cult movies and pop culture in general. It relies largely on "The Lion King," but I've also noticed allusions to "West Side Story," "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," "Planet of the Apes," "Airplane," Indiana Jones, "Twilight Zone" and many others. Beautiful and entertaining for all ages.
8/10
8/10
Cohen and the penguins steal the show again
The_Amazing_Spy_Rises10 November 2008
The original Madagascar film was one of my favorite animated movies of the decade because it was very original and outright hilarious, in addition to having the most amazing penguins the world has ever seen. In the second installment, however, the screenplay is sacrificed for better animation, and while it looks good, the film doesn't carry itself well, despite having a very short runtime.
Our favorite zoo animals have been kicked out of New York and end up in Africa, where they quickly fit in with a pride of lions and other animals. Basically, from here, the film because formulaic, even for a children's animated movie. It's hard to believe they spent almost 3 years making this movie.
Of course, most animated films are only as good as the voice actors, and while the big four of Stiller, Rock, Schwimmer, and Pinkett Smith are enjoyable, it's Sacha Baron Cohen who steals the movie once again as King Julien. His performance had me laughing on end for most of the movie, and I lit up like a lamp whenever his little rodent appeared on screen. The late Bernie Mac was also fun to have in the movie.
The best thing about the movie are the penguins, bar none. They literally had me crying tears from laughing so hard. The actor playing the lead penguin is some sort of genius. I kept wanting every scene that played out in a straightforward way to end quickly so I could see the penguins again.
Madagascar 2 is as beautifully animated as it is horribly written. There is so much attention to detail, making it the second most accomplished animated film this year in terms of picture quality. However, Madagascar 2 falls victim to cheesy lines, a stereotypical villain (a ripoff of a character played by Alec Baldwin, if you ask me), and formulaic plot resolution. I will say, however, that most of the jokes were good ones.
Madagascar 2 is a tolerable kids movie that doesn't live up to the first film's glory as one of my favorite animated films of the decade. It's not terrible enough for me to hate it, or for me to not see the 3rd one that's already in production. I just hope that one tries a little harder in the writing department.
Our favorite zoo animals have been kicked out of New York and end up in Africa, where they quickly fit in with a pride of lions and other animals. Basically, from here, the film because formulaic, even for a children's animated movie. It's hard to believe they spent almost 3 years making this movie.
Of course, most animated films are only as good as the voice actors, and while the big four of Stiller, Rock, Schwimmer, and Pinkett Smith are enjoyable, it's Sacha Baron Cohen who steals the movie once again as King Julien. His performance had me laughing on end for most of the movie, and I lit up like a lamp whenever his little rodent appeared on screen. The late Bernie Mac was also fun to have in the movie.
The best thing about the movie are the penguins, bar none. They literally had me crying tears from laughing so hard. The actor playing the lead penguin is some sort of genius. I kept wanting every scene that played out in a straightforward way to end quickly so I could see the penguins again.
Madagascar 2 is as beautifully animated as it is horribly written. There is so much attention to detail, making it the second most accomplished animated film this year in terms of picture quality. However, Madagascar 2 falls victim to cheesy lines, a stereotypical villain (a ripoff of a character played by Alec Baldwin, if you ask me), and formulaic plot resolution. I will say, however, that most of the jokes were good ones.
Madagascar 2 is a tolerable kids movie that doesn't live up to the first film's glory as one of my favorite animated films of the decade. It's not terrible enough for me to hate it, or for me to not see the 3rd one that's already in production. I just hope that one tries a little harder in the writing department.
Whattariot!
jemps91820 November 2008
Thank God the sequel to 2005's "Madagascar" turned out to be thoroughly enjoyable. Part Twos are usually scary territory, but I daresay this one outdid its predecessor in terms of storyline and packing in the laughs.
It starts where Madagascar One ended: Central Park Zoo animals Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) and Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) find themselves still stranded and eager to leave the island. The penguins have built a plane and successfully take off for NY when they crash land in the African wilderness. The NY Zoo animals try to fit in with their wild counterparts and encounter situations that challenge their friendship.
Of course King Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen), the surprisingly scene-stealing granny and the rest of the supporting cast provide added hilarity and wit to almost every repartee. Even more welcome was the relevant uplifting theme, which served as an effective sub-plot, an important message delivered in a fun, non-preachy way. If they intend to rollout a Part Three, this would be a tough one to beat!
It starts where Madagascar One ended: Central Park Zoo animals Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) and Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) find themselves still stranded and eager to leave the island. The penguins have built a plane and successfully take off for NY when they crash land in the African wilderness. The NY Zoo animals try to fit in with their wild counterparts and encounter situations that challenge their friendship.
Of course King Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen), the surprisingly scene-stealing granny and the rest of the supporting cast provide added hilarity and wit to almost every repartee. Even more welcome was the relevant uplifting theme, which served as an effective sub-plot, an important message delivered in a fun, non-preachy way. If they intend to rollout a Part Three, this would be a tough one to beat!
Take the Agascar out and what you have is....
ArthurMausser9 December 2008
Mad.
Mad because I paid $40 for the Fam to watch this stinky movie. Mad because I had to watch this movie for however long it was. Mad because I had to pretend like the Hippos were not borderline R Rated Mad because the story was stupid and predictable as usual. Mad because the movie is made by a madman.
Why do these movies have to try and humor adults? If I want to see a comedy for adults, I will go and see an adult comedy movie. There are too many sexual innuendos in this movie and the violence is a bit much.
When I order a Burger and Fries, I don't expect them to stuff my burger full of fries! Don't they get it. Make a kids movie for kids. An adult movie for adults where kids should not be.
That's what is wrong with this country these days. Kids are exposed to too much violence, sex, and disrespectful behavior at a young age.
Madagascar tries to hard to entertain every demographic but winds up not entertaining anybody.
The original Madagascar was a break from the typical, somewhat different and light on the adult content.
This movie is lame and I am hoping if they make another one, it will turn its attention to unique plot and funny character slapstick without the innuendo.
I would not let kids under 10 years old watch this.
Mad because I paid $40 for the Fam to watch this stinky movie. Mad because I had to watch this movie for however long it was. Mad because I had to pretend like the Hippos were not borderline R Rated Mad because the story was stupid and predictable as usual. Mad because the movie is made by a madman.
Why do these movies have to try and humor adults? If I want to see a comedy for adults, I will go and see an adult comedy movie. There are too many sexual innuendos in this movie and the violence is a bit much.
When I order a Burger and Fries, I don't expect them to stuff my burger full of fries! Don't they get it. Make a kids movie for kids. An adult movie for adults where kids should not be.
That's what is wrong with this country these days. Kids are exposed to too much violence, sex, and disrespectful behavior at a young age.
Madagascar tries to hard to entertain every demographic but winds up not entertaining anybody.
The original Madagascar was a break from the typical, somewhat different and light on the adult content.
This movie is lame and I am hoping if they make another one, it will turn its attention to unique plot and funny character slapstick without the innuendo.
I would not let kids under 10 years old watch this.
Fun, yes, but largely unremarkable all the same.
Otoboke24 December 2008
There are movies that, to be fair, never quite do anything remotely significant or innovative; they lack purpose for their existence. When it comes to sequels, this factor comes into play even more so. Madagascar 2 by all means shouldn't have been made for any other reason other than that which gave it life in the first place. To be frank, there was no real reason for it to be made outside the fact that the first movie, although routinely mediocre, at least pulled in the green. Yet much like its predecessor, this second, mostly superfluous entry into the animated movie you never thought would turn into a franchise 2 years ago, at least has some intelligent and heart-felt design to back up its pointless endeavours. Fans of the original movie will love it; all the characters are back, and the humour remains in the same vein as instalment one, but even such customers will leave feeling a little underwhelmed by what is achieved here. Its fluffy entertainment aimed at families for holiday viewing, and in all honesty that is all it amounts to; fun, yes, but largely unremarkable all the same.
This time around, the story attempts to fill in gaps from before the first movie, and then continue on from where that one left off. Leaving Madagascar in a dodgy, penguin-manned airplane, the four best friends fly off into the sunset hoping that they reach the U.S.A. once more. Such is the consequence of trusting a penguin however; all aboard soon find themselves in Africa after a very funny crash landing. From here on the movie branches off into numerous plot lines, some being larger than others. The most dominant of these centers around Alex once more as he finds out he has long lost relatives in his native land. Struggling to fit in with his more traditional friends and family, Alex is soon alienated from those around him in a touching and emotive manner.
If there is one major fault with Escape 2 Africa's strict however, it's that it relies far too heavily on this type of melodrama to pull its story along. There's a fair amount of humor too, but I often found myself sulking in my seat rather than chuckling. Is this a bad thing? For Madagascar, yes. This imbalance towards drawing out tears means that the writers must invest more in drama and character, which this movie simply does not have enough of. That's not to say that such moments aren't welcome, because they are, but there's just too much here to keep things evenly entertaining.
A much greater and well constructed element of Escape 2 Africa is its structure and sense of pacing in each individual plot line. Of course, much of these clash towards the climax of the movie, and the result is satisfying and well choreographed to blend together. Without bogging down the feature with weighty exposition and mundane setup, the writers manage to tie all the elements together in ways that feel natural to the story and characters; there were times where I was genuinely surprised to find minute details from earlier scenes playing larger parts in later ones; not only is it clever, but it serves the direction of the movie well and keeps things moving at a decent pace. I'm rarely one to be caught off guard by such a movie, but Madagascar 2 did it quite a few times.
Visually and aurally, Escape 2 Africa is impressive insofar as most animated movies go. In terms of animation quality and design, the movie pulls out all the stops in making this one grander and more visually entertaining than the first. Character animations are crisp and full of life with backdrops and environments being just as, if not even more interesting to gaze upon. The performances from the central cast also bring with them an extra dimension of life; for the most part, this is strictly sequel material, and all actors stick to their roles as closely as they did for the first, but that's not entirely a bad thing. A common misstep with such features is that the voice actors feel distant and uninvolved with their animated selves, but such is not the case here with many often being echoed in the mannerisms of their animals in many humorous ways.
So yes, there's no denying that Madagascar 2 is a pretty film, but is it one of substance? To some degree, yes, it is, but only in respect to the average animated fare. With the evolution and ever growing maturity of the genre however, one has to wonder whether Escape 2 Africa is anything new or refreshing. To be fair, there's a good mix of everything here from drawing out the laughs from children and adults to making them both feel a little something too -which is no small task-, so it at least provides it primary functions. Yet despite its pleasing design and well constructed façade, there nevertheless remains the irrevocable fact that much of what takes place here feels perfunctory for the sake of simply making another unnecessary movie. In that vein, Madagascar 2 loses some value, but not much. Fans of the original movie, plus those looking for a bit of family fluff for the holidays could do much worse than what is present here; Escape 2 Africa is fun and has its heart in the right place, even if it is all a little indistinguishable from its brethren at the end of the day.
This time around, the story attempts to fill in gaps from before the first movie, and then continue on from where that one left off. Leaving Madagascar in a dodgy, penguin-manned airplane, the four best friends fly off into the sunset hoping that they reach the U.S.A. once more. Such is the consequence of trusting a penguin however; all aboard soon find themselves in Africa after a very funny crash landing. From here on the movie branches off into numerous plot lines, some being larger than others. The most dominant of these centers around Alex once more as he finds out he has long lost relatives in his native land. Struggling to fit in with his more traditional friends and family, Alex is soon alienated from those around him in a touching and emotive manner.
If there is one major fault with Escape 2 Africa's strict however, it's that it relies far too heavily on this type of melodrama to pull its story along. There's a fair amount of humor too, but I often found myself sulking in my seat rather than chuckling. Is this a bad thing? For Madagascar, yes. This imbalance towards drawing out tears means that the writers must invest more in drama and character, which this movie simply does not have enough of. That's not to say that such moments aren't welcome, because they are, but there's just too much here to keep things evenly entertaining.
A much greater and well constructed element of Escape 2 Africa is its structure and sense of pacing in each individual plot line. Of course, much of these clash towards the climax of the movie, and the result is satisfying and well choreographed to blend together. Without bogging down the feature with weighty exposition and mundane setup, the writers manage to tie all the elements together in ways that feel natural to the story and characters; there were times where I was genuinely surprised to find minute details from earlier scenes playing larger parts in later ones; not only is it clever, but it serves the direction of the movie well and keeps things moving at a decent pace. I'm rarely one to be caught off guard by such a movie, but Madagascar 2 did it quite a few times.
Visually and aurally, Escape 2 Africa is impressive insofar as most animated movies go. In terms of animation quality and design, the movie pulls out all the stops in making this one grander and more visually entertaining than the first. Character animations are crisp and full of life with backdrops and environments being just as, if not even more interesting to gaze upon. The performances from the central cast also bring with them an extra dimension of life; for the most part, this is strictly sequel material, and all actors stick to their roles as closely as they did for the first, but that's not entirely a bad thing. A common misstep with such features is that the voice actors feel distant and uninvolved with their animated selves, but such is not the case here with many often being echoed in the mannerisms of their animals in many humorous ways.
So yes, there's no denying that Madagascar 2 is a pretty film, but is it one of substance? To some degree, yes, it is, but only in respect to the average animated fare. With the evolution and ever growing maturity of the genre however, one has to wonder whether Escape 2 Africa is anything new or refreshing. To be fair, there's a good mix of everything here from drawing out the laughs from children and adults to making them both feel a little something too -which is no small task-, so it at least provides it primary functions. Yet despite its pleasing design and well constructed façade, there nevertheless remains the irrevocable fact that much of what takes place here feels perfunctory for the sake of simply making another unnecessary movie. In that vein, Madagascar 2 loses some value, but not much. Fans of the original movie, plus those looking for a bit of family fluff for the holidays could do much worse than what is present here; Escape 2 Africa is fun and has its heart in the right place, even if it is all a little indistinguishable from its brethren at the end of the day.
- A review by Jamie Robert Ward (http://www.invocus.net)
They like to move it, move it... again...
paul_haakonsen7 June 2018
I have seen the first animated "Madagascar" movie years ago, but can't really recall it. Nevertheless, I sat down with my 7 year old son to watch the sequel and I must admit that we were both quite entertained and amused with this movie.
The story was quite good and you instantly gets swept up and carried away into the storyline.
The characters in the movie were likeable and funny, and it really worked to their advantage that they had such a great ensemble of voice actors to perform the various roles and voices throughout the animated movie. Amongst those worthy of mentioning are Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Bernie Mac and Alec Baldwin.
The drawing style and art style was good, and there was a lot of details in every scene throughout the entire movie. There was a good combination of music and singing and ordinary cartoon here, without it turning into a stereotypical animated movie like those seen produced by Disney.
"Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" is definitely worth taking the time to sit down and watch regardless of your age.
The story was quite good and you instantly gets swept up and carried away into the storyline.
The characters in the movie were likeable and funny, and it really worked to their advantage that they had such a great ensemble of voice actors to perform the various roles and voices throughout the animated movie. Amongst those worthy of mentioning are Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Bernie Mac and Alec Baldwin.
The drawing style and art style was good, and there was a lot of details in every scene throughout the entire movie. There was a good combination of music and singing and ordinary cartoon here, without it turning into a stereotypical animated movie like those seen produced by Disney.
"Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" is definitely worth taking the time to sit down and watch regardless of your age.
Easy watching ...
Majikat765 June 2018
Zany antics
briancham199413 July 2020
This film continues the Madagascar story with a completely new setting that freshens up the franchise. Each character gets their own subplot that expands on their character and backstory. This allows for more antics but it also dilutes the overall story as they don't tie together much until the end.
Hilarious and much better than the first one!
audaxego5 April 2009
This movie was so much better than the previous one! We went to see this one for my 25th birthday because we were in the mood for some light-hearted entertainment and we really hit the jackpot choosing this movie! Madagascar 2 is simply hilarious: the crazy and extremely violent granny, Moto Moto being too macho for words, the crazy king, the hippo lady being in the mood for some love, the love sorrow of the hypochondriac giraffe (whose voice is being done by ever funny David Schwimmer from friends) and the extremely smooth mafia penguins... This is just a great movie for young and old. I'm waiting for this one to come out so I can buy it. The least funny character according to me was the lion, but then again I'm not a huge fan of Ben Stiller's comic talents. If you're in the mood for a hell of ride, I advise you to go and see this one. You won't stop laughing from the beginning till the end.
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