Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

These poor animals! First, they’re dragged away from the cages of the Central Park Zoo to be lost on Madagascar. Then they find a crashed Cargo Cult airplane from World War II, tape the plane together and try to fly it back home. Why would they rather be in New York? Can’t get a cab in Madagascar? They all belong to separate classes, but they’re comfortable with variety. Roger Ebert said in his review, “These guys would have turned themselves in to Noah.”

It doesn’t look like that plane will go all the way. That doesn’t mean across the Atlantic from Africa. It means across Africa to the Atlantic. Do they (or their audience) realize Madagascar is east of Africa, in the Indian Ocean? Ebert admitted, “How I know, I had a friend from Madagascar once. Beat me at chess.” Some people are probably wondering about the title “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,” released in 2008, because they think the animals escaped 2 Africa in the first place. Ebert said, “Now shouldn't they be escaping 4rom Africa?” So they leave and (spoiler?) crash in Africa. Now they go up against the exact same problem like in the first film: Can wild animals survive in the wild?

They do a really funny job, which is exactly the idea. This is a brighter, more charming film than the original “Madagascar.” Ebert said, “I'll bet Dreamworks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg was hands-on.” When he was at Disney, he made friends with a lion during the filming of “The Lion King.” Ebert noted, “He even appeared with it on a leash at the junket. He looked more relaxed than the members of the press. Usually at a junket, they're the ones who do the eating.”

Every single original voice talents return, doing their original characters. What an ensemble cast: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter, the late Bernie Mac, Alec Baldwin and rapper Will.I.Am, who has one of those names like, as Ebert said, “his mother was frightened during pregnancy by a typographer.”

The look of “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” is open and bright. Better the wild savannah than the dark jungle. The action is exciting (sacrifices to a volcano, a fight for water), and there is a nice romance between Gloria the hippo and Melman the giraffe. Ebert admitted “I want to think Melman is not named after Larry "Bud" Melman, but I don't have the strength of character. Anyway, the prospect of a giraffe making love to a hippo is enough to set me writing limericks. Can it be done? I think it might be safer than a hippo making love to a giraffe.”

Alright everyone, if you liked the first one, this is better. Ebert ended his review by saying, “Your parents may like it too, although they may have to dash out for just a second to see "Soul Men."”

Like I had already stated, this movie is better. If you loved the first movie, then this one will be more exciting for you. Definitely check this one out because it is really funny, tells another story, and will keep you engaged throughout, especially the way it looks and the animation is beautiful. This review is posted on the sixth year anniversary of when I started blogging.

Look out next week when I continue “Madagascar Month.”