MADAGASCAR: Nothing Too Great, But Nothing Bad Either...

Rating: 7/10 (4 April 2006)

MADAGASCAR
I know people were really hoping this movie wouldn't make it into the 2006 shortlist for Best Animated Feature... and the nominations went to CORPSE BRIDE, W&G, and HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE. Well I won't argue that this film was robbed of a nomination, but it certainly wouldn't have been a travesty if MADAGASCAR had made the list.
While not a remarkable, landmark achievement, MADAGASCAR is still an entertaining animated film. Featuring some wonderfully stylized animation and some perfect marriages of voice-actors with their characters, the film is constantly entertaining and humorous.
What MADAGASCAR does lack is any significant depth. Any layer to the characters is utilized for comedy instead of played for sincerity. That is until the very end when Alex the Lion has a change of heart. But everything that precedes that treats the animal's personalities as shamelessly shallow comedic creations.
Now, that doesn't do much for the film's artistic merit... but it does make for a good time. Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith, David Schwimmer, and the rest of the cast are obviously having a good time voicing these characters and the fun permeates through the screen. Their performances mixed with the stylized animation is really what keeps the film alive.
It tells the story of Alex the Lion (Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Rock), Gloria the Hippo (Pinkett-Smith) and Melman the Giraffe (Schwimmer) as they are shipped back to the wild despite their affection for the Central Park Zoo. They've been zoo animals for years and aren't ready for the sudden shift to embrace their wild instincts. However, somehow they adjust and remain friends.
It's a predictable story arch and it definitely starts to lag when the film tries to switch gears into more dramatic territory at the very end. The comedic addition of the Lemurs in MADAGASCAR was obviously done to appeal to young kids and get even more laughs... however, for me the Lemurs were unnecessary superfluous distractions that only made the film drag.
Still, the 4 central characters are very appealing and well-voiced by the respective actors. MADAGASCAR isn't perfect, it's a movie I would never praise with love... but I also don't really have anything too negative to say. I will say that I found it better then Dreamworks' more critically acclaimed SHREK.
MADAGASCAR can't be deemed any revelation... but in terms of harmless children/family entertainment this is an entertaining ride that earned the box-office success it received.
... C+ ...