String of Old School Pop and Parodies of other movies

Rating: 3/10 (26 December 2005)

"Madagascar" gets a three based on the artwork and saving effect of the penguins. The movie is a string of Old School Pop mixed with parodies of Jungle Book, The Lion King, and even Dream Work's Shreck movies.
Alex's personal conflict will be analyzed on levels--Aristotlilian and Freudian. He seeks to be virtuous through deep personal reflection, while knowing at the same time his appetitive maintains control (hence the self-imprisonment by the sharpened sticks). The reasonable overcomes the extreme of eating his friends, and the Golden Mean is achieved through the eating of fish (which the savvy viewer can assert from the evidence. The Freudian is played out as his Id wants to devour Marty. The Super-Ego erects the fence of sharpened sticks to enclose the Id. Deep personal struggle ensues, even to the point of telling Marty not to come inside his self-imposed stockade. In the end, the Ego emerges and finds satisfaction through eating of fish. (We end up at the same place with Aristotle and Frued, don't we?)
Most of the animals are copies of characters from other movies. Marty is a direct knock of the Ol' Rock from Donkey Eddie Murphy in Shreck (which I am sure Chris Rock would consider a compliment). Melman is straight from the Wimpy T-Rex in Toy Story. Julian and Company are right off of King Louie and the Shrine Gang from Jungle Book--and the Bush Babies bear a striking resemblance to the pre-water Mogwies from Gremlins. The Hyenas are the bad guys, just like in Lion King.
Once the gang gets to Madagascar, the scenes look remarkably similar to those found in Lion King--Not Selling Enough Merchandise--(you know, "Special Edition" starring Timon and Puhmba) including an Edenesque waterfall.
One other comment about the scenes on the island--which add somewhat to an authenticity that only linguists would care about. Julian speaks with an Indian Accent (that's East Indian, or Dravidian) which reflects the fact that Madagascar is an African nation with strong Pacific and Indian cultural and language ties (Malayan and the aforementioned Dravidian).
The lack of a plot is resolved by characters outside of the main plot family, the Penguins. They come to the rescue as the stolen freighter comes to rest--by pure dumb luck-- on Madagascar. But it's out of gas! Thus leaving our heroes stranded and making scene one for the sequel, when the animals somehow find their way off of the island. Thus, assuring the continued sale of plush toys and trinkets for years to come.
Bruce