Footloose and freedom bound.

Rating: 5/10 (29 May 2005)

Animated enjoyment...definitely not the best I've seen, but crude humor gives it a little lift and a PG rating. Marty the zebra(Chris Rock)is bored with being in the NYC Central Park Zoo and decides to bust out and maybe find "the wild". After Marty's escape, he is discovered missing by his friends Alex the Lion(Ben Stiller), Melman the Giraffe(David Schwimmer)and Gloria the hopeful Hippo(Jada Pinkett Smith). The three break out of the zoo and finds Marty at Grand Central Station, but before they can catch the train back home, they are darted and carted and placed on a ship headed to Africa, where they can get away from their stressful captivity. The ship is sabotaged by some persistent penguins and all find themselves stranded on the shores of Madagascar, off the southeast coast of Africa. Surprises arise and the four friends are faced with the reality of their own predestined roles in the animal world. Also lending voices to this fine looking CGI animated adventure are: Sacha Baron Cohen, Andy Richter, Chris Knights and Cedric the Entertainer. Rock's Marty the Zebra is the most likable character. I think just the opposite about Stiller's Alex the Lion. I can't say I am honestly awaiting a MADAGASCAR 2.