The perfect holiday flick.

Rating: 8/10 (22 September 2012)

Dreamworks' second largest series manages to achieve what its biggest money-maker (hint: big green ogre) couldn't: a threequel that keeps the franchise's standard high. Heck, this third instalment even eclipses both of its predecessors, which is an extremely rare feat indeed. Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller) and his mates depart Africa for New York, but not before going via Europe with a travelling circus and gaining the attention of the malevolent animal control Captain Chantel DuBois (Frances McDormand). From its wonderful Monte Carlo opening act to its grandstand New York climax, the action sequences are superbly constructed and tremendously exciting; the predictably sharp animation is the icing on the cake. It's laugh out loud funny too, with a very respectable amount of jokes – both verbal and visual – hitting the spot for kiddies and parents alike. There's often a lot of dross on the big screen between school terms; thankfully however, Madagascar 3 is the perfect holiday flick.