Madagascar is a great movie. It's all about zoo animals that escape because one of their friends wants to be in somewhere that has wide open spaces. It sounds good, but there is some bad language. In one part, Alex (lion) says "Sugar Honey Ice Tea" which stands for s**t. (Some kids won't notice that.) Some role models aren't good like the foosa that attack lemurs, and the lion is shot with tranquilizer darts. Finally, in one scene, an old lady kicks Alex and hits him with her handbag. It's a good film, but watch out for one use of bad language and bad role models.
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Madagascar
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 7. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
A group of animal friends escape from the zoo.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 7 and Up
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Madagascar
Parents need to know that there's some crude humor and sexual innuendo that will probably go over the youngest kids' head. The animals confront assorted dangerous situations, including an encounter with police, containment in crates (dark, closed spaces), a stormy sea and shipwreck, and, most alarmingly, a startling personality change in Alex, the lion, when he wants to eat his friends. There's a shooting with tranquilizer darts in which a character hallucinates to the tune of Sammy Davis Jr.'s song "Candyman" (younger viewers won't know this is about drugs, but the allusion is there). Gloria the hippo briefly appears with seaweed on her body, simulating "pasties" on breasts and crotch area. The lemurs are hunted by scary hyena-like creatures. A secondary plot has a crew of penguins acting like spies, which has them tunneling out of the zoo, knocking out a ship's captain, and stealing an ocean liner.
Read our full review by Cynthia Fuchs
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about the film's portrayals of friendships and how friends can deal with their companions' different personalities. Families can also discuss the film's use of cliches and stereotypes as jokes (the "island" music that characterizes the lemur community, the whiny hypochondriac, the fey lemur king).
Our Members Say
See all 430 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 6 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
Watch out, things may slip out.
- I rate this title off for age 2 and give it
yawn
boring you see everything coming unlike the second movie
- I rate this title on for age 5 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
Ok for kids older than 5 or 6
I think it's a cute movie, but I'm bummed about the language. We're pretty strict about not using "stupid" "crap" "shut up" "hell" or name calling like "jerk" or idiot" and unfortunately, these are often referred to as "mild" insults which is OK for older kids (at least Kindergarten or 1st grade) but completely inappropriate for kids under 4 in my opinion. I don't think this language ever adds anything to the film, so why bother putting it in? I was really disappointed about the scene with "sugar, honey, ice tea"- although many little ones will miss it altogether, why bother putting it in- it doesn't add anything but shock value for the parents :(
- I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
I like to watch it-watch it!
Ah, the perfect movie. Granted, it's rated PG for a reason. The good thing is that the PG content won't be caught by youger kids, and will make older people laugh as well. I won't be surprised if this becomes the next "Shrek"- it's already better than the first.
- I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
I like to watch it-watch it!
Ah, the perfect movie. Granted, it's rated PG for a reason. The good thing is that the PG content won't be caught by youger kids, and will make older people laugh as well. I won't be surprised if this becomes the next "Shrek"- it's already better than the first.
- I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
I like to watch it-watch it!
Ah, the perfect movie. Granted, it's rated PG for a reason. The good thing is that the PG content won't be caught by youger kids, and will make older people laugh as well. I won't be surprised if this becomes the next "Shrek"- it's already better than the first.
- I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
Really cute, but some iffy stuff.
This movie is a great family favorite..........just try to stop singing "move it, move it" after its over! I do have a couple problems with it, though. The first and main, is that there are a couple things, while not sexual, they made me cringe. (and I'm usually open-minded!) They are, in order of appearance: Gloria has seaweed, crabs, and a lobster stuck to her to look like a bathing suit, and says "okay boys, party's over", and when alex tries to get melman out of the box he's stuck in, he uses a long pole to ram him out, running straight at his behind. While this doesn't sound bad, trust me, it makes you cringe. There is also a lot of euphemisms, that will pass right over little kid's heads (only if they don't know any swear words) such as "hoover dam!" THere are even some blatant swears, such as he-- and dam-. Then finally, the worst part. In the middle to end of the movie, there is a montage to "what a wonderful world, where smal, cute animals are killed. The worst one is last, when, after being depressed, the animals come upon an ADORABLE baby duck. Your heart skips a beat on just how cute it is. And then, your hopes are dashed away because a shark comes up and violently eats it.This disturbed me SOOOO much when I first saw it....... And I was in the seventh grade!!!!!! Maybe it's just because I'm empathetic or something, but I hate this scene, and i never watch it.
- I rate this title iffy for age 3 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
I like it
I've seen the show of it.
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
good movie a must see
- I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
good but
2nd one is better some violence when the penguins knock the captain out cold they use a buzzoka to distart the fusa gloria wears a braw for a short time for little kids private says suck but any age
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give itMy concerns are:
Good.
When Marty blows out his birthday candles, he spits then bites into the cake. But I still like the film
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
FUNNY
Great movie. It is very funny, and the characters made me lol. I really liked this movie. It's the kind you can watch over and over again.
- I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
An average fun movie with a lot jokes
The movie was fun but the story was average and fun I give it 3 stars because it was not that good but it has a lot of fun with the animals
- I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
- I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
For a children's video, this was too vulgar. There were a lot of allusions to things that young kids don't need to be exposed to.
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
Madagascar
Sexual Content (Not an Issue): None. Violence (Pause): Some violent imagery will startle kids. Language (Pause): No profanity is spoken, but there is some almost-swearing, a play on Hoover Dam, and a HELP sign breaking to read HELL. Social Behavior (On): The characters learn to be loyal. Some crude humor. Commercialism (Not an Issue): None. Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco (Pause): A lion is shot with a tranquilizer.
- I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
Finally a movie you can sit through with your child and be laughing!
I took my niece to this movie and not only did she find this funny but there is enough adult humor in this movie that you both can be laughing for way different reasons! It is to date the funniest I've seen of the animated ones, the Ice Ages are in second.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say it has language their kids can't use |
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