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'Madagascar': Fun for the whole herd
by Melinda Ennis

A zebra with a midlife crisis, a lion on a star-trip, a hypochondriacal giraffe and a platoon of penguins are just part of the manic menagerie in "Madagascar." This tale of zoo animals on the loose in New York City and in the wild provides us with a winning combination of state-of-the-art 3-D-like animation and plenty of Looney Tunes-style comedy. Like Looney Tunes, there's cartoon craziness for the kids and knowing, "wink-wink" humor to keep the grown-ups giggling and guessing at the film allusions that fill the clever script. Read the full review

TO SUM UP
Four "stars" of New York City's Central Park Zoo — a lion, a zebra, a giraffe and a pregnant hippo — become stranded on the island of Madagascar where they are confronted with their predestined roles in nature... such as the lion's genetic predisposition to want to eat his three best friends.

FILM FACTS ...

Dreamworks SKG

'Madagascar'

Directors: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath
Starring: Andy Richter, Cedric the Entertainer, Sacha Baron Cohen, Chris Knights, Tom McGrath
Run time: 80 minutes
Release date: May 27, 2005
Rating: PG for mild language, crude humor and some thematic elements.
See showtimes

On the web
Official movie site
View the trailer
Trailers require Quicktime

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READ THE REVIEW

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: B
"The plot's a bit thin, and like a Chinese dinner, the movie doesn't stay with you after a couple of hours. But you will savor every bite while you're there."

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Austin American-Statesman: 3 of 5 stars
"Madagascar is thin but pleasantly easy. It's superior to last summer's labored Shark Tale but not even close to either of the Shrek movies, all babies of DreamWorks."

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Dayton Daily News: B
"Madagascar's plot is a bit thin, but the film makes up for it with lively humor and stylized visuals."

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The Palm Beach Post: B-
"Madagascar is no Shrek, but it's not as empty as Shark Tale, either. The dynamic between the characters is worthy of at least one sequel."