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Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
- Review Date: November 7, 2008
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2008
Common Sense Media says
Fun sequel has some romance, peril, adult humor.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this sequel to the popular animated movie Madagascar will likely please all ages. But there are some mild sexual allusions (Gloria the hippo flirts with a brawny male hippo who likes her figure and isn't shy about saying so) and cartoonish violence (sequences include a plane crash, a handbag-packing grandma, and hunters wielding guns). There's also come crude/potty humor to watch out for, and an upsetting scene early on in which a young Alex is separated from his father against his will.
What's the story?
The superstars of the New York Zoo -- Alex the lion (voiced by Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer), and Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) -- are finally headed home. Or so it seems. Instead, their sketchy Air Penguin plane crashes, landing them in the African savannah. But not just any savannah: It turns out to be Alex's former stomping grounds, where he roamed as a cub until poachers snagged him while his father was fending off an attack from deceitfully ambitious foe Makunga (Alec Baldwin). Alex's father's people embrace his arrival -- until Makunga manages to get him banished. Meanwhile, Marty wrestles with insecurity when he realizes that other zebras are a lot like him, Melman must contain his jealousy over Gloria's growing interest in male hippos, and how are they ever going to find their way back home?
Is it any good?
Cheerful and entertaining, if a mite predictable, MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA won't disappoint fans of the original. All of the endearing mainstays are back, including the beloved band of devious, mechanically inclined penguins. The movie is also blessed with the same catchy theme song -- "I Like to Move It" -- as the first, and it's guaranteed to leave visions of lemurs and lions dancing in audiences' heads for weeks.
The movie's jokes mostly make the cut (though Sacha Baron Cohen's preening as Julien the lemur may tire grownups after a while, if not kids) -- but though it's better than many originals, it doesn't quite qualify as a classic, if only because the story doesn't offer any real surprises. (Even the mean handbag lady makes an expected appearance.) Nevertheless, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa provides the sweet escape you long for when you go to the movies.
What 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 clichés and stereotypes as jokes.
Also, ask kids what they think about Alex's dilemma, especially when he realizes he's not like the other lions who grew up with a pride. What do you think of how he handles the situation?
And what of Melman and Gloria and Marty's plight after finding themselves in the savannah? How does their adventure tear them apart and -- more importantly -- bring them together?
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AGE
great for 8+
Now when I saw the second Madagascar I thought it would disappoint but wow this was a huge surprise as it was better than the first.
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AGE
My opinion and review
Well the film does have gross vilence like nipple twisting, and is sexual with flerting, and butts. But to be honest I don't like this film much, really its just a copy a of Lion King. I prefer Lion King more to this
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AGE
Great Family Movie
My children enjoy this movie. They do all the dances and they love the story. There are some moments of scary parts for young children
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AGE
It was okay.
I took my children to see this movie and I was kind of dissipointed. It had some sacrificing to Other Gods on it although in the movie you can clearly see that it didn't work out that way, but none the less if you don't want your children being subjected to things of that nature I would not recommend taking them to see it.Was not as good as the first.But most movie's aren't'
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AGE
Good for 6+
A very good sequel that's better than the first so I'm shocked.
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AGE
A Mildly Amusing but Inferior Sequel...
MADAGASCAR isn’t classic by any stretch, but it was funny and entertaining. I can't say as much for the sequel.
The animals are back, and this time they're in Africa. Alex meets his parents, Marty meets a clan of zebras, Gloria meets a man and Melvin becomes a witch-doctor. Impressed? I wasn't either.
There are crude terms ("poop" and "moron"). There is quite a bit of sexual innuendo. As a male hippo walks (with "I like `em big/I like `em chunky" playing) as the camera focuses on his abs and butt. Another hippo says she might join the "breeding program" at a zoo, and hippos gawk at how "big and huge" they are. A lemur cozies up to a male giraffe with a gleeful smile. The same (male) lemur pops out of a cake wearing a skirt and coconut bra asking who is attracted to him. A male monkey willingly kisses a male penguin on the mouth, and pictures of a penguin kissing and fondling a doll are seen as blackmail.
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AGE
Not A Kids' Movie
This is not a kids’ movie. It’s packaged as one. But the character situations, the dialogue, the music and the humor are all intended for a much older audience. Whether it was the penguins slapping on a Boston oldie while launching their deathtrap of a plane into the air or Gloria being smitten by the sexual rumblings of MotoMoto, the laughter in the audience was mostly adults (with confused kids following their parents’ cues).
The characters actually CURSE during the movie. TWICE. Though it’s thiiiiiiinly concealed by not so clever plays on words.
Did I laugh? Yes. But never at the same time as my girls. And the number of times they laughed, well, I could keep one hand in the popcorn bucket and the other on my drink and STILL have a pinky to spare toward the counting of that.
[An excerpt from my original review. You can see the whole thing at *kidkong*]
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AGE
Better than the first
The first was one good, but seemed to a lower quality Disney/Pixar movie. I liked it, 6/10. I thought this one was going to be the same, but NO it's better than the first. It has a good story, picking up with the last one and leaving it for another one. I'm not saying the story was rich and deep, but it was good for a cartoon, and the laughs made up for it. My whole family was rolling and laughing. 8/10.
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AGE
2 Times isn't the Charm
This movie was definitely not as good as the last film. It was kind of boring and was just an origin of Alex. It wasn't that interesting and the characters were just not themselves anymore. I only liked the opening and ending.
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| Topics: | adventures, friendship, misfits and underdogs, wild animals |
| Studio: | DreamWorks Animation |
| Directors: | Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath |
| Cast: | Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 99 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | November 8, 2008 |
| DVD release date: | February 6, 2009 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | some mild crude humor |
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