Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Merry Madagascar

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Funny holiday special spreads goodwill and joy.

Movie NR 2009 30 minutes
Merry Madagascar Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 2+

Based on 1 parent review

staticxtx
staticxtx Parent of 2 and 8-year-old
December 15, 2009
age 2+
My children love Madagascar, especially my 2 year old...so we went and bought the Merry Madagascar DVD...it has positive messages about sharing and considering other people's feelings. I see nothing wrong with letting children of all ages watch this movie.

This title has:

Great messages
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

New York Zoo’s famously displaced foursome has a plan to get home to Manhattan just in time for Christmas, but fate steps in with a major detour when Santa’s sleigh crash-lands on Madagascar and he’s stricken with amnesia. Alex (voiced by Ben Stiller), Melman (David Schwimmer), Gloria (Jada Pinket Smith), and Marty (Chris Rock) -- along with the crafty penguins -- happily commandeer St. Nick’s ride and point it toward the Big Apple, but they soon realize that they’re the only ones who can save Christmas for kids all over the world. When they set aside their own ambitions to help others, they discover that the magic of the season truly knows no bounds.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (4 ):

Fans of Madagascar and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa will find this holiday-themed follow-up a worthy addition to the popular series. The special is packed with the same character-based comedy that fans love, complete with a fresh target for the maniacal South Pole penguins: a “polar” rivalry with Santa’s North Pole reindeer. Kids and adults will both enjoy the special's cheerful chuckles punctuated by the quirky animals at the heart of the cast.

Happily, though, there’s a real attempt here to mix feel-good messages about generosity, caring, and compassion with the silly stuff. Viewers will empathize as Alex and his friends face a relatable dilemma in choosing between finally going home and saving Christmas, and parents can draw comparisons between the animals’ predicament and real-life scenarios their kids might be facing, reminding kids that there's real joy to be found in putting others’ needs ahead of our own.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the special portrays friendship. Kids: What makes a good friend? How do different personalities complement each other in a good friendship? Which of your friends are very different from you?

  • In what ways do cartoons use stereotypes for humor? Did you notice any stereotypes or exaggerations in this show? Do any of them seem iffy to you?

  • Kids: What aspects of the holidays do you most like? What does it mean to refer to Christmas as the “season of giving”? How do you show generosity during the holidays?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate