Sunday, June 10, 2012

MADAGASCAR - anthropomorphic pandemonium


The Madagascar movies are fun, quality entertainment for children as well as adults. I have enjoyed the first two immensely and the third installment has been just as pleasurable.  

The films are about finding and trusting in yourself, not unlike most all movies but I like the team effort portrayed in these much like the Ice Age tetralogy. This new addition is just nonstop action packed with blunder after blunder. No spectacular story arcs but it keeps you entranced with stunning animation. The circus acts are truly incredible. 

I didn't care for the inculcated stereotypes, however. They are somewhat funny but these little seeds get planted in kids heads and they continue to propagate them as they get older. The filmmakers threw in some inappropriate jabs at decades old Communistic Russia as well, a bit much I thought. 

One particularly great aspect of the story occurred when the animals finally returned home to the Brooklyn zoo, which was always their great collective wish, and they all decided that the exciting, dangerous journey was more preferable to "home". This is, I think, a great message for kids. All parents would keep their kids home if they could indulge a secret wish but know that their young should get out and experience the world and have great adventures. So with respect to a few quibbles, you will get a number of laughs from stellar voice talent, fun contemporary music and stimulating eye candy. Catch the reference to Quadrophenia!


Recommended Viewing: Ice Age 3 - Land Before Time - Babe 2

              Bob Scale: Objective: 7.0   -   Subjective: 7.9
             MetaCritic: 59
 Rotten Tomatoes: 76
                      IMDB: 7.0


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