Madagascar : Escape 2 Africa [Blu-ray] | ![Madagascar : Escape 2 Africa [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51vGD4Opu1L._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Directors: Eric Darnell, Tom Mcgrath
Actors: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen
Category: DVD
This item is no longer available
Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Media: Blu-ray
Running Time: 89
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
The sequel to the animated movie Madagascar gives more of everything audiences loved in the first movie: More of the penguins; more of Julian, king of the lemurs; more musical bits of classic rock; and many, many more lions, zebras, hippos, and giraffes. In the first film, a quartet of coddled zoo animals found themselves shipwrecked on the island of Madagascar in a misguided effort to return them to the wild. InMadagascar: Escape 2 Africa, a failed attempt to fly back to New York maroons Alex the lion (voiced by Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) in an animal preserve on the African continent, accompanied by the four deranged penguins and the lunatic lemur king (deliriously voiced by Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat). By wild coincidence, this is where Alex was born--and where his father is still the alpha lion, and where his malevolent uncle seeks to take over (let's call this an homage to The Lion King). The other beasts have their own story arcs, but really it's all an excuse for daffy comic bits. Though the result is disposable, it's also entirely entertaining. The action sequences pop with dizzying spectacle; though some jokes are mainstream fodder, more often they're surprisingly quirky and engagingly oddball. This is the best kind of cotton candy filmmaking--it dissolves into nothing, but it's oh-so-sweet to the taste. --Bret Fetzer
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| Customer Reviews:
Good Kid Flic November 18, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
With the introduction of Shrek and Monsters Inc and Cars, and others, I was awoken to those types of modern-day kid movies that also have a sublime adult appeal in them. In many ways, this is a genius concept, especially when a parent has to sit through an hour or more of kid material. In that way, these movies can be appealing to adults as well and at least increase an audience.
Madagascar 2 is not one of those genius movies that I just described.
As a kid movie, it rocks - it's got all those colorful features and funny episodes that keep kids glued to the screen. As a movie that adults have to sit through, it is rather dull except for maybe two parts: when the penguins do their thing (totally hilarious if you can keep up with their dialogue) and a romantic scene with the giraffe.
There were some covert elements of black racial pride, I noticed, but nothing to riot over - typical Chris Rock stuff and some other lines from other characters.
And I should say that Bernie Mac - one of my comedy heroes - did a decent job on his last film. (He passed away after finishing the movie, but before it was released.) I don't think his part really pulled out the true Bernie Mac that we all know and love, but he was able to get some of his personality into a few scenes.
In all, I'd rate the movie as a 3-star production, but I give it 4 stars here because of the immense value to the younger set. In reality, I don't think this movie is worth anything but a weekly TV cartoon series for kids, so I wouldn't spend too much money on the DVD. My assumption is that in a few years (or less) there will be a compilation DVD where all the Madagascar movies will be on there (assuming more are made). I could see spending $19.99 on a compilation CD. But Madagascar is not one of those classic movies that we "just gotta have."
So my recommendation is pretty simple: if you need some movies for your kids ages 3-10, this one will work. If you are looking for something that you can sit through or that would entertain kids behind simple plots and storylines, then I'd pass on this one.
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