Surprisingly good, not the typical pop-culture filled Dreamworks film

Rating: 8/10 (11 June 2005)

Dreamworks I feared was losing it after back-to-back disappointments Shrek 2 and Shark Tale. Then came the trailer of the movie Madagascar and I was even more afraid. I was so sure that this one was going to just be another pop-culture filled borefest. Apparently, Dreamworks proved me totally wrong. Madagascar, no joke, is the best Dreamworks animated film since the instant classic Shrek. This movie did something that not Shrek 2, Shark Tale, and not even The Incredibles pulled off, which was a great mix of drama, pop culture references, and sight gags. As a matter of fact, Madagascar is run by sight gags and visual jokes, which is a good thing. The end result is a movie that will entertain both kids and adults, and more the kids but the adults will get a kick out of this anyway.
Madagascar is about a zebra, a giraffe, a lion, and a hippo being transferred to the wild after an escape from the New York Central Zoo, which was started by a zebra that wanted nothing more than to experience the wild and do something different. But, because of a couple of penguins who look like have seen way too many criminal/heist films and also because of an argument, the animals were instead moved to a remote island full of little furry creatures that are constantly threatened by meat-eaters. Throughout the movie, the animals struggle to adapt to the wild as the animals in the island have other plans for them. Ben Stiller voices the lion, Alex, and actually does a superb job as well. Unlike his previous film Meet the Fockers, he does not depend on the other characters surrounding him to become funny, his performance as the lion is funny by itself.
Sorry you Chris Rock fans, but I find this comedian rather overrated. That being said, Chris Rock was very funny as Marty the zebra, he delivers some of the better one-liners in the film. David Schwimmer is my favorite of the Friends actors and actresses and this is just another reason why he can have a decent career outside of the hit sitcom. His performance is the best, as the very paranoid and unhealthy giraffe Melman. Last but not least of the main characters, Jada Pinkeet Smith (who hasn't done much lately) does a swell job as the hippo, Gloria. Of course, I have to give credit to Cedric the Entertainer and Sacha Baron Cohen (better known as Ali G) for their funny performances as well. But it is not the dialogue that runs this film, it is the penguins, the sight gags, and the cute critters from the island of Madagascar that make this film worth watching more than one time. The penguins have the best lines in the film, and they barely say anything. They are four very determined and intelligent penguins simply trying to go to Antarctica. As for the cute critters, you just have to see them; they are simply a wild bunch.
Like most Dreamworks animated films, Madagascar also relies on the pop culture references, but not even close as much as their previous movies, and that is a good thing. What is even better is that they are actually funny. Ranging from American Beauty, Planet of the Apes, The Twilight Zone, to even a 1960s drug reference, the allusions come very fast, and if you catch them, the payoff is great. Like Robots, the movie is mostly visually appealing, but for a different reason than Robots. The visual entertainment in Robots is just jaw dropping, not really entertaining, just amazing to look at. Madagascar is uproarious with the amount of visual humor it has to offer, at times, you just sit back and marvel at the effort they put in order to make you laugh without using a single line of dialogue (once again, I am referring to the penguins).
Bottom Line: Unlike the Pixar films, Madagascar does not dig very deep into sentimental value, it is just the typical kids film, with plenty to look and laugh at. I find this film much better than Shrek 2, Shark Tale, and even Antz, the movie that put Dreamworks computer animation on the map. As a matter of fact, aside from Kung Fu Hustle, this is my favorite film of the year, and yes, it is much better than the disappointing and plot hole-filled fiasco Star Wars: Episode 3 (but no, I am not including Sin City because I have not seen it yet). Better than A Bug's Life but, still far off of the quality of Pixar films, but then again, few movies can top Pixar films. Full of decent performances from the well-known actors and actress, which is a rarity nowadays in animation, Madagascar just proved to us why companies pay good money to hire famous actors to lend their voices. Good voice acting, plenty of funny jokes, and endless physical humor make this film a must-see for the entire family, for those especially sick of all the hype for that other film. Have fun at Madagascar; you'll be surprised at just how pleasant it is.
Score: 8/10