Now a film series like Madagascar should be one that I should hate because of it's over the top slapstick humour and odd animation style. However, taking all that into account, I was pleasently surprised when I saw the first one and I felt the same way with it's 2 sequels Is it the greatest animated films series ever, no but it's still good either way. Anyway, enough ranting, let's review these films:
Just so you all know, this is only for the main films, not the TV show starring the pengiuns and not any of the holiday based short films (but I may get around to doing those at a later date). Also any further films in the series that are released later on, will be made as stand alone reviews, but I will make a point about them being part of the series in the reviews.
Madagascar
So taking place at Central Park Zoo in New York, we come across our 4 main characters. Alex the lion (played by Ben Stiller) who is the zoo's main attraction, Marty the zebra (played by Chris Rock) who is celebrating his 10th birthday and wants to explore the world, Melman the very ill giraffe (played by David Schwimmer who will be familiar to anyone who watched the american sitcom Friends) and Gloria the hippo (played by Jada Pinkett Smith) who Melman fancys despite being a different animal to her. One night, Marty is greeted by a group of penguins who want to get out of the zoo and so Marty follows them. Learning of this, Alex, Gloria and Melman follow him and later on are caught with Marty, the pengins and 2 chimps (who become allied with the penguins later on) and with the power of darts, are put to sleep and put on a ship that is on it's way to a Kenyan wildlife preserve. The penguins want to go to Antartica and along with the chimps, they do just that and use the power of stealth to wipeout the crew. In the process however, Alex and Co, accidentlly fall off the ship, still in thier crates and end up in you guessed it, Madagascar where the rest of the film will take place. Overall, while this film has a lot of slaptick humour, the characters a fun to watch, the chemestry with the characters is ok, but could be better and finally, the film does what it intends to simply by what it's title says, which is executed well. But is it a good film? It's ok for the most part and I would reccomend seeing it if you're willing to sit through the whole series. 8/10
Escape 2 Africa
So this film starts of as a prequel where we see how Alex arrived in New York, separated from his family and his rise to stardom at Central Park Zoo along with how he made friends with Marty, Melman and Gloria. At this point, it also gives us some of the events of the last film as a reminder of what happened beforehand (only a handful of films do that, and this one does it well). Then we go straight to where the original left off as the Penguins and the 2 chimps are getting the plane ready for lift off with Alex and Co being the passengers (and even King Julien, Mort and Maurice go for the ride as well) and they set off for New York, leaving the other lemars behind. This however doesn't go down well, when the plane crash lands in Africa where Alex reunites with his family, Marty becomes one with the zebras, Melman becomes the witch doctor for the giraffes and Gloria (much to Melman's expense) begins to fall in love with a male hippo. While all this is happening, the chimps bring a pack of other chimps to help rebuild the plane with the penguins co-ordinating the repair. Everything seems to go OK until one of the lions plans to try and remove Alex from the herd and a group of humans (led by the granny who Alex had a fight with in the last film) decide to rebel against the animals and begins to tear down a forest in an attempt to rebuild their civilization. So what do I have to say about this film. Well its defiently funnier than the last one, character development is great and the lion villain reminds me a bit of Scar from the Lion King which is a good thing as Scar was a great villain Overall, this is a very funny and enjoyable film that I'm sure anyone will love. 9/10
Europe's Most Wanted
Taking place 4 years after the last film (and also the first and possibly only film in the series to be seen in 2D and 3D), Alex begins to have nightmares about him and the others spending an enternity in Africa and after talking to Marty and the others about it, Marty suggests that the 4 of them and Julien, Maurice and Mort should go to Monte Carlo in France to find the penguins and the chimps and persuade them to get them back to New York, which they succed in doing by the skin of thier teeth as an animal catcher by the name
Captain Chantel DuBois (who I'm going to refer to as DuBois because of her very complex name) is after them (but in particular, Alex as she wants his head hanging on her wall). After escaping her and after a celebration party, the plane crashes (again) and with all the chimps leaving (except for the 2 chimps that have been part of the team for all 3 films) and DuBois, hot on thier tail, Alex and Co decide to stowaway on a circus train on it's way to New York (but stopping at Rome and London), if a promoter gets impressed by thier work. Seeing this as a financial oppurtunity, the penguins decide to buy the circus off thier original owners, making the zoo animals, the new owners. With romance, shocking revelations and comdey all the way, this is by far, the best in the series. The comedic factor works well for the most part, all the characters are great as always and I find it to be a fitting and satisfactory end to the series. 9/10
Overall, the films are all great in thier own way with a lot of humour throughout and some great character development as well. I just hope that this doesn't go the same way that Ice Age did in that they use far too many recycled material and god knows what else. 9/10
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