Madagascar Movie Review: By Lezah

Last week we went to see the animated film 'Madagascar', and we ended up being in what one would think was the best company to see any animated film in:  in our group was a writer for 'The Simpsons' comics, as well as the creators/writers of the animated TV show 'Bob and Margaret'.  I was expecting some lively debates after the film, but hey - I guess sometimes everyone just needs to go and sit and be entertained for a while...

'Madagascar' is Dreamworks' latest venture.  With an all-star cast (Ben Stiller as Alex the Lion, Chris Rock as Marty the zebra, David Schwimmer as Melman the giraffe, Jada Pinkett-Smith as Gloria), this animated tale is about a group of friends who make their way from the urban jungle of New York (where they live in the zoo) to the literal jungle of Madagascar, courtesy, in part, of a group of anarchistic penguins (between you and me, these penguins are one of the best things about the film!).

Normally I don't like stylized cartoon characters, but these ones worked for me, at least in part because they were complemented by the backgrounds which were so lush.  The film opened with a great shot of the modern, minimalist zoo, then shifted to grand scenes of the Manhattan skyline and city proper, and finally ended up in a Rosseau-type Madagascar jungle.  Also interesting was the use of a technique called 'squash and stretch', which allowed the characters more speed and flexibility than one usually sees in an animated film.

The story started off strong, and the character development was solid; however, by the time the group arrived in Madagascar, the storyline seemed to drift off a bit.  However, jokes abounded and there was plenty of laughter in the theatre from audience members of all ages.  Likewise, the frequent references to other movies were helpful in keeping the adult viewers engaged.

Thematically, this story is about friendship and acceptance, with the mix of animals serving as a metaphor for our multi-cultural society.

Overall, an entertaining film, and the under-tens in our group gave it three thumbs up.