Barnes & Noble

It's all happening at the Central Park Zoo in New York City, especially for Alex the pampered lion (Ben Stiller), Melman the hypochondriac giraffe (David Schwimmer), and Gloria the maternal hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith). But Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), experiencing a midlife crisis on his tenth birthday, wants to follow his wanderlust to…Connecticut(!), where -- he has been erroneously informed -- the wild things roam free. He bolts for the train station, and his three friends escape from the zoo to retrieve him -- a gambit that is misinterpreted as a cry to return to their natural habitat. But a funny thing happens on their way to a Kenyan preserve. Thanks to a quartet of escape-happy penguins, they are rerouted to the eponymous island, where carnivore Alex discovers the circle of life does not include being brought steaks every night by human handlers. Will he revert to his basic instincts? Madagascar boasts a menagerie of scene-stealing supporting characters, including Sacha Baron Cohen (Da Ali G Show) as a goofy lemur king and Cedric the Entertainer as his second in command. But waddling away with the movie are Mort (Andy Richter), Skipper, Kowalski, Private, and Rico as the penguin commandos who talk like the Dead End Kids. So auspicious was their screen debut that they were immediately signed for their own short subject, The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper, which premiered theatrically with Wallace and Grommit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit and is happily included on this DVD. Madagascar follows the Shrek template: A-list voice cast; irreverent humor; too-hip-for-the-playroom references (HMOs, author Tom Wolfe) for the adults; and a rockin' soundtrack for the kids. The poop jokes? Come on, they’re for everybody. Alex's dilemma adds some bite to this culture-shock comedy (and may frighten little ones). If kids loved Madagascar in theaters, they will go wild for this DVD, which comes packed with interactive games, activities, and projects. The penguins even contribute audio commentary! Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

A pack of not-so-wild animals experience some serious culture shock when they move from the Big Apple to the Mighty Jungle in this computer-animated comedy. Alex (voice of Ben Stiller) is a lion who enjoys a charmed life as one of the leading attractions at a zoo in New York City's Central Park. While Alex and his pals Marty the Zebra (voice of Chris Rock), Gloria the Hippo (voice of Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the Giraffe (voice of David Schwimmer) are happy with their lot in life, they occasionally have a certain curiosity about the outside world, and when the zoo's penguins decide to make a break for it, Marty follows them into the city. Alex, Gloria, and Melman set out to find Marty before he gets into trouble, but they're a bit too late, and soon the zookeepers have decided that the animals are restless and need to be returned to the wild. Soon the critters find themselves living on the coast of Madagascar, where they quickly discover they aren't quite suited for living in the wild. Madagascar also features the voice talents of Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 678149456622
• Source: DREAMWORKS ANIMATED
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Editions: Subtitled, Dubbed
• Time: 1:26:00
• Sales Rank: 2,384

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Madagascar: The Complete Collection

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