
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted Review
As if trying to escape the stench of the previous film, which was as awful as animated movies come, Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria and their other furry friends spend all but a minute in Africa before fleeing to Monaco in Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, because apparently it's much easier to get back to civilization than the first two movies indicated. Plot issues aside, the third entry in the popular franchise is a fun adventure the whole family will enjoy.
In the movie, the Brooklyn zoo animals who were stranded in Africa travel to Europe to find the penguins, whom they do not trust to come back to rescue them. Once there, the animals catch the eye of an evil animal control agent, so they tag along with a circus to elude captivity because the circus is the perfect place to elude captivity.
Madagascar 3 isn't particularly clever or original, but it's entertaining, silly and full of slapstick moments. It's these slapstick moments that kids will love. Between car chases, circus antics and a crazy French villain, kids will giggle their way through the film, and things get zanier as time progresses.
The penguins are absurd and enjoyable as ever, and the zebra, voiced by Chris Rock, steals the show, if only for his momentary Afro Circus song.
There's not much else to say. Madagascar 3 is no longer set in Madagascar, and any originality that the franchise once had is gone, but at least this third entry marks a return to form for the "trilogy."
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.