Fun

Rating: 6/10 (5 January 2006)

Madagascar is from the same creators as Shrek and Shark Tale. The story starts in Central Park Zoo, New York, the home of Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe, Gloria the hippo, Alex the lion, a bunch of crazy penguins and some monkeys. The penguins are digging their way to 'the wild', but find Marty instead, and Marty instantly starts dreaming of going into the wild too. Followed by his friends, Marty escapes, but they get caught again, and this means a new beginning for all of them: they are shipped off, to be put in a natural habitat in a wild-life reserve. Because of the penguins hijacking the boat, Marty and friends strand in the real 'wild': Madagascar. A whole new world opens up for the animals, who have been living in the city zoo their entire life.
This is a very fun movie. It isn't well constructed and it doesn't even make much sense, but it's just crazy fun like Shrek II and Shark Tale. The voice-casting is very well done, especially Chris Rock as hyperactive zebra Marty, David Schwimmer as Melman, the neurotic giraffe, and last but definitely not least: Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G) as King Julien, the lemur leader. Their voices sound like the characters really are.
I don't believe this movie was meant to be taken seriously, and it is best you don't. Once in a while you get references to other movies, American Beauty being the most obvious. Every single animal is slightly (or completely) nuts: e.g. Melman the giraffe is addicted to doctors and medication, and the penguins are psychotic. Speaking of which, the penguins are simply hilarious. Best to pull up one eyebrow before starting to watch the movie  just to be prepared, and you can be sure to leave the theater with a beat and 'I like to move it, move it' in your head.