Our old friends from “Madagascar” are back for the unavoidable sequel “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.”
The old jokes are back, too. So is the old theme song - “I Like to Move It.”
“Mad2″ is so very, very … sequelly. It reunites us with the lovable zoo creatures from the 2005 film and expands upon every comic morsel from the original.
If you though the feisty old lady in Grand Central Station was a hoot, wait ’til you see her traveling through Africa and trading punches once more with Alex the lion (Ben Stiller).
Been there, laughed at that.
The new film follows Alex, Marty (Chris Rock), Melman (David Schwimmer) and Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith) as they try to leave Madagascar for their old home in New York City. But their makeshift airplane falls to pieces mid-flight (don’t ask) and they end up in Africa.
They crash land near the home of Alex’s long-lost family, and suddenly the New York native has to prove his King of the Jungle credentials to his family’s nemesis (voiced with elan by Alec Baldwin).
Other, lesser subplots pad the running time, but the best moments come once more from the supporting critters. Yes, the penguins are back and just as funny as the first time, and Sacha Baron Cohen is a vocal marvel as Julien, the wannabe king of the jungle.
It all feels so warmed over, so familiar, and few of the new story wrinkles can compare to the freshness found in the original.
The wee ones won’t mind the recycled bits, but adults who were charmed by “Madagascar” won’t fall for the manufactured delights found in “Escape 2 Africa.”
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Heidi 11.07.08 at 9:21 pm
I have the funny feeling my 4 year old niece won’t mind a bit! The first one was her all time favorite movie (which, when you’re 4 years old, isn’t really saying much). I never saw the first one - I avoid movie theaters where there might be small puky ones mucking about.
cftoto 11.07.08 at 9:29 pm
I saw “Mad2″ with an audience filled with kids … and I got the distinct impression they weren’t wowed. I do have a hard time judging films aimed at kids, but today’s CGI animation is usually gunning for kids AND adults.
Ben Boychuk 11.10.08 at 5:31 pm
Saw it Saturday early afternoon with the family. My 6-year-old son loved it. I had some hearty laughs in places the kids didn’t — many of the Sascha Baron Cohen lines, as I recall.
It’s a good thing I’m not a professional film critic, because my critical faculties are all over the place when it comes to movies. With animated films, it seems to me there is Pixar and then there is everything else. So if Madagascar 2 falls short, if it was too “sequelly,” if the plot was shopworn… eh. It’s Dreamworks. We left satisfied, anyway.
I think you’re right, though: The penguins, again, stole the show.