Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Movie Review

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Your favourite Central Park Zoo animals stampede back into theatres November 7th in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. The gang thinks they’re flying back to New York in a penguin-repaired plane, but a crash landing in Africa brings them face to face with some wild characters and reunites Alex the lion(Ben Stiller) with his long lost relatives.

Identity Issues

While Alex reconnects with the pride and gets in touch with his inner lion, Marty the zebra (Chris Rock) struggles to stand out from the herd—it’s hard to feel unique when you’re not the only crack-a-lackin’ zebra around.

Big Love

Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) has no trouble standing out—she quickly catches the heavy-lidded eye of Moto Moto (will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas), the smooth-talking, gravelly-voiced heartbreaker of the wading pool. It’s love at first sight for Moto Moto, but is that enough for Gloria?

As the herd’s resident witch doctor, Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) unties elephant trunks and sets broken bones with ease, but when he comes down with a fatal illness of his own, he considers making a big sacrifice—for love!

Who Says Penguins Can’t Fly?

The real stars of the show are the hilarious hard-beaked, no-nonsense penguins. These guys fix the crash-landed plane with “grit, spit, and a whole lotta duct tape”—who says penguins can’t fly? The cast and crew did some flying of their own—to get a feel for the animals and the vast, breath-taking landscape, the actors and animators traveled to the African plains and eight animal reserves. The trips paid off because the movie looks great—from the bristling fur of Alex’s mane, and the swaying, yellow-green savannah grasses, to the rumbling herds and overcrowded watering hole—the animation and animals make for some delightful eye candy.

The Bottom Line

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa brings back all the sassy, wise-cracking characters of the original, introduces some new friends and villains (you’ll love Alec Baldwin as the rival lion, Makunga) and, best of all, since it’s only played once at the beginning, you won’t leave the theatre with that I like to move it, move it song stuck in your head. See this movie for the colourful animation, the cute characters and the zany dance sequences.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Rating:

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