Starring (the voices of): Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David
Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith
Cert: U
Released: 15th July
2005
Marty the zebra (Rock), Alex the
lion (Stiller), Gloria the hippo (Pinkett Smith) and Melman the giraffe
(Schwimmer) all live in New York’s Central Park Zoo without a care in the world;
they are adored by the public and have every possible desire catered
for.
But Marty reaches his 10th birthday and realises there’s one thing he’s
never had and will never have and that’s a taste of the
wild.
Accidentally coming across the penguins’ escape attempt he decides to go
out on his own but of course then his friends go after him to keep him out of
trouble. Trouble ensues and all the animals are packaged up for
deportation.
When the penguins take matters into their own, er, flippers, the four
friends get shipwrecked on the human free island of Madagascar which is fine for the three
vegetarians but with no-one to serve steaks to him, Alex slowly begins to feel
his animal instincts surfacing.
Madagascar is from Shrek’s lot and
contains the same cheeky, dirty comedy that kids and parents alike will love.
Plenty of ‘butt’ and bodily function jokes and in-film references keep the
laughs flowing but most of the comedy is derived from the animals’ humanlike
behaviour; not only have they been animated to move like people, have human
characteristics that define them through the actors but because they’ve been
raised in captivity they think they can interact with humans safely outside of
their captive environment causing much frustration and
confusion.
It’s an easy job for the cast; Stiller’s lion is full of enthusiasm,
energy and mistaken authority; Rock is cool and calm; Pinkett Smith is sassy and
streetwise; and Schwimmer is a mess of neuroses and hypochondria. They all
display a deep affection for one another and, despite their overt New-Yorkness,
are all incredibly naïve about anything outside of their immediate environment
making them an eclectic bunch of fish out of water in every
setting.
There is, however, an almost worrying message behind the story (if you
want to read into it that closely); an implication that zoo animals are much
happier in their cages than they would be in their natural habitat. That’s
if you want to read into it that closely.
All in all, another big hit from Dreamworks that will allow multiple
viewings throughout the summer holidays without causing tedium for the children
or their parents.
