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"MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA" (2008) (voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock) (PG) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Minor Minor Heavy *Moderate Moderate Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None Minor Minor None Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Mild *None Moderate Mild Moderate QUICK TAKE: Animated Comedy: A quartet of New York zoo animals manage to escape from Madagascar, only to crash-land in an African wildlife reserve where they must contend with their various issues. PLOT: After originally being shipped off to Kenya but washing up on the shores of Madagascar after a bunch of penguins, led by Skipper (voice of TOM MCGRATH), seized control of their cargo ship, Central Park Zoo animals Alex the performing lion (voice of BEN STILLER), outspoken Marty the zebra (voice of CHRIS ROCK), hypochondriacal giraffe Melman (voice of DAVID SCHWIMMER) and the hippo of his dreams, Gloria (voice of JADA PINKETT SMITH), are prepared to fly back to New York. With Skipper's crew of penguins -- Private (voice of CHRISTOPHER KNIGHTS), Kowalski (voice of CHRIS MILLER) and Rico -- having fixed an old plane wreck, the quartet is set for their return flight. Accompanying them are lemurs King Julien (voice of SACHA BARON COHEN) and his sidekick Maurice (voice of CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER) and hanger-on Mort (voice of ANDY RICHTER), as well as erudite chimp Mason (voice of CONRAD VERNON) and his companion Phil. They don't get far, however, before the plane crash-lands in an African wildlife reserve, not far from where Alex's parents, Zuba (voice of BERNIC MAC) and his wife (voice of SHERRI SHEPHERD) still live, long after their son was abducted by poachers years ago. They're obviously elated by their long lost son's return, which also holds true for Zuba's longtime rival, Makunga (voice of ALEC BALDWIN), but for a different reason. Realizing Alex isn't the type of lion who can pass the pride's ritual of passage, Makunga sees that as his chance of becoming the leader. At the same time, Melman continues to long secretly for Gloria who's now drawn the attention of suave hippo Moto Moto (voice of WILL.I.AM), while Marty is dejected to learn that he's no longer unique as he's the spitting image of the reserve's other zebras. Meanwhile, resourceful senior citizen Nana (voice of ELISA GABRIELLI) leads a band of stranded safari tourists through the savanna, prepared to hunt some animals in order to survive. As all of that and more occurs, the quartet of zoo animals must contend with their various issues. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of the first film, they probably will. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG For some mild crude humor. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: It's debatable if kids view animated animal characters as role models, but the following characteristics are present: ALEX is the former star performer of the Central Park zoo who's happy to be reunited with his parents in his African homeland, but must contend with his father being disappointed that he's not the sort of lion he expects him to be. He then tries to prove himself after that. MARTY is his best friend, a wisecracking zebra who's disappointed to discover that he isn't that much different from all of the other zebras in Africa. MELMAN is the third member of their zoo quartet, a hypochondriacal giraffe who thinks he's dying (he's not) and secretly longs for Gloria, meaning he's crushed when she seems to like Moto Moto. GLORIA is that hippo who takes a liking to her male counterpart (and is initially unaware of Melman's crush on her) until she realizes he's only interested in her body. ZUBA is Alex's father, the ruler of the reserve who's pleased to have his son back, but then disappointed that he isn't the sort of lion he thinks he should be. MAKUNGA is his chief rival who conspires to get rid of both of them so that he can take over the pride as well as rule of the reserve. ALEX'S MOM is Zuba's wife who's elated about their son's return, but unhappy with Zuba about the way he's acting. KING JULIEN is the flamboyant and optimistic leader of the Madagascar lemurs who ends up in Africa with the others where he decides a volcano sacrifice will solve the reserve's water hole problems, while MAURICE is his loyal sidekick. SKIPPER is the leader of the penguins whose overconfidence and blind zeal sometimes undermines their and others' efforts, but is always positive they can fix and/or overcome anything. MOTO MOTO is the male hippo who takes a liking to Gloria, but only for her body and nothing else. NANA is the resourceful and tough as nails senior citizen who becomes the unofficial leader of the stranded safari tourists, including them hunting for food. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this animated comedy that's been rated PG. No profanity is present, but various colorful phrases are, which also holds true for some slightly suggestive dialogue, while there are a few close-ups of bare animal butts as they sashay. There's some brief fighting and hitting, and animal characters are threatened with guns and spears, although most of that's played for comedy and/or zany action. Even so, some of those scenes and some moments of potential peril (including a plane crash-landing) might be unsettling and/or suspenseful to the youngest of viewers, but probably few, if any others. Some behavior might be enticing for some kids to try to copy, and bad attitudes are present. There's brief alcohol content, a monkey has what looks like a spark plug in his mouth like a cigarette, and there's a little bit of crude humor, while there's some tense family material. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's a spin around camera shot late in the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE A penguin carries an unopened bottle of champagne on the plane. Gloria and others hold tropical drinks. BLOOD/GORE Two lemurs place their fingers in each other's noses and then back into their own mouths. We see some spit from a penguin's mouth when Skippy states they'll put a plane back together with spit and grit. A safari jeep hits one of the penguins who has fake blood and a cracked open egg by him for effect, but this is a ruse so that the other penguins can steal the jeep. King Julien thinks he's a good whistler, but he only ends up spraying spit onto Maurice and Melman. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Makunga wants to be the alpha male of the pride and thus challenges Zuba, not only physically, but also by belittling young Alex (calling him a "pathetic excuse of a son"). Some poachers capture young Alex in the reserve at gunpoint despite "no gun" signs being right there. King Julien mentions liking the separation of classes on the plane (with him in "first class"). We see that Makunga is still plotting against Zuba. Makunga purposefully gives Alex bad information about who to challenge in his right of passage ritual, resulting in Alex having to fight the biggest character around. Alex doesn't take it seriously and thus is blasted backwards hard into a large rock. Since he lost, Zuba is required to kick him out of the reserve, but rather than do that, he steps down. That means Makunga takes over, and his first act is to banish Alex and his parents. Marty is upset with Alex regarding the latter not being able to pick him out from the crowd of identical looking and sounding zebras. The two then have a falling out, but eventually make up. Gloria discovers that Moto Moto only likes her for her plump body and nothing else. When the reserve's watering hole starts drying up, Makunga's solution is that they'll fight for access to it (meaning he'll always have access until it's gone). Zuba refers to his wife as "woman" on several occasions. Makunga lies to Zuba about trying to stop Alex from leaving the reserve. FRIGHTENING SCENES Young Alex follows a rope that's pulled off away from him. When he pops out of the brush, a poacher aims his shotgun or rifle at him before he's put into a crate. As the two poachers drive away, Zuba races to rescue him, jumping onto the truck and tearing at the crate. We then see one of the poachers aiming his gun at Zuba. We then hear a shot and see Zuba fall off and bounce along the road before stopping and remaining motionless. Young Alex sees that, but his crate then falls off the truck, bounces into a river and flows into the ocean. We then see that Zuba is alive, apparently unharmed from the shot. We see a human skeleton in a seat behind King Julien on the plane (but the scene is played lightly and not for scares). An old plane is shot into the sky like a slingshot, but it cartwheels down into the canopy, seemingly ready to crash, but it then flies up from that. Later, the plane goes through a thunderstorm (with a view of Mort out on the wing initially looking like a little Gremlin before being swept off). The penguins flying it then run out of fuel, with the plane plummeting, all but King Julien panicking, and then part of the fuselage ripping off, yanking King Julien and Maurice out (but a parachute deploys and they're okay). The plane then crash-lands, careening through stuff before sliding off a cliff and falling again, but a parachute deploys and they land safely (albeit in just the fuselage framework). A large shark chases after Mort, including up on land. The animals become worried and later are in bad shape when the reserve's watering hole continues drying up. Melman decides he'll be the sacrifice for the volcano and stands out on a precipice high above the lava. Gloria races to stop him from jumping, but the precipice cracks and starts breaking away. Melman scrambles to race up it, with Gloria catching and holding him by one of the short horns on his head. After Nana and her human followers have captured Alex, they have him on a spit above a fire (to cook him for food). Alex and Zuba find themselves surrounded by humans armed with spears and one rifle, but then do some dancing to make the people change their mind about harming them. Nana prepares to shoot Alex and others with a rifle as they approach in a plane and a bucket hanging below it to take out a dam, but the bucket crashes into the dam and Nana. The shark from before is still chasing after Mort and ends up falling into the volcano (we don't see the impact). GUNS/WEAPONS Young Alex follows a rope that's pulled off away from him. When he pops out of the brush, a poacher aims his shotgun or rifle at him before he's put into a crate. As the two poachers drive away, Zuba races to rescue him, jumping onto the truck and tearing at the crate. We then see one of the poachers aiming his gun at Zuba. We then hear a shot and see Zuba fall off and bounce along the road before stopping and remaining motionless. Young Alex sees that, but his crate then falls off the truck, bounces into a river and flows into the ocean. We then see that Zuba is alive, apparently unharmed from the shot. A safari guide carries a rifle. Spears are thrown or fired at Alex and Marty who flee in the opposite direction. Alex and Zuba find themselves surrounded by humans armed with spears and one rifle, but then do some dancing to make the people change their mind about harming them. Nana prepares to shoot Alex and others with a rifle as they approach in a plane and a bucket hanging below it to take out a dam, but the bucket crashes into the dam and Nana. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "It looks like cold sushi for breakfast, boys," "Your pathetic excuse of a son," "Before I kick your butt," "The guy's an animal," "I like to move it, move it," "Freaks," "Let them eat cake," "He's carrying scissors and hand cream," "Are the butts next to the croutons in the salad bar?" "You're freaking me out," "Correct-a-mundo," "Right in the batteries" (testicles), "Are you out of your mind?" "Am I tripping?" "Crack-a-lackin," "Who's your friend, or is that your butt?" and "Fatso" (both said in a positive fashion), "You guys are a bunch of suck-ups," "You hoodlums," "Jeez," "For crying out loud," "I'll be a monkey's uncle," "Someone's been knotty" (a play on "naughty"), "A total loser," "That is lackin' in the crackin,'" "Mister hot pants," "I'm with stupid," "You showoff," "That's a bummer," "You sly dog...woof, woof," "Laugh your mane off," "Are you nuts?" "Is this place starting to freak you out?" "Oh snap," "I believe the fat lady has sung," "Commies," "Hold onto your skirts," "Bring it on" and "You bad kitty." Young Alex moves his hand up and down in front of his face, changing his expression with each hand pass. Alex later does this, as does his dad. King Julien wears coconut halves like a bra and playfully says, "I'm a woman." A chimp gives the "kiss my butt" gesture with his hand and nose (along with other such gestures). Nana sprays hairspray over a fire to make it flame up. Melman wears a clip-on nose bone while serving as the witch doctor. Marty shows how he can spit water into the air and then catch it back in his mouth, with other zebras then copying that. King Julien thinks he's a good whistler, but he only ends up spraying spit onto Maurice and Melman. Kids might want to imitate Alex's exaggerated dancing. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A little bit of suspenseful music occurs in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) There's a song that has the lines "I like 'em big" and "I like 'em chunky" (that plays when Moto Moto shows that he likes Gloria's rotund size). PROFANITY None. SEX/NUDITY The camera focuses close on the animal butts of Alex, Gloria and Marty as they go back and forth while dancing. King Julien wears coconut halves like a bra and playfully says, "I'm a woman." Gloria says she's going to start in the breeding program when they get back to New York. There's a song that has the lines "I like 'em big" and "I like 'em chunky" (that plays when Moto Moto shows that he likes Gloria's rotund size and comes on to her by asking "Who's your friend, or is that your butt?"). During that, we see a close-up of Moto Moto shaking his big butt. SMOKING None, but one of the chimps has what looks like a spark plug in his mouth like a cigarette. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Young Alex follows a rope that's pulled off away from him. When he pops out of the brush, a poacher aims his shotgun or rifle at him before he's put into a crate. As the two poachers drive away, Zuba races to rescue him, jumping onto the truck and tearing at the crate. We then see one of the poachers aiming his gun at Zuba. We then hear a shot and see Zuba fall off and bounce along the road before stopping and remaining motionless. Young Alex sees that, but his crate then falls off the truck, bounces into a river and flows into the ocean. We then see that Zuba is alive, apparently unharmed from the shot. Alex and Zuba quarrel over the former being the king of New York when it's obvious he doesn't know how to fight, resulting in both of them being banished from the reserve by Makunga. Zuba refers to his wife as "woman" on several occasions. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Alex and his dad having father/son issues. Marty being upset upon learning that he isn't unique (since the other zebras look and sound like him, and can copy his various tricks, etc.). King Julien says they need a sacrifice into the nearby volcano to appease the gods and thus bring back water to the reserve's watering hole. Animal reserves in places such as Africa. VIOLENCE In the opening DreamWorks logo, the penguins grab the boy sitting on the half moon and we hear sounds of hitting off-camera. Makunga fights Zuba off camera for control of the pride, but loses. Young Alex follows a rope that's pulled off away from him. When he pops out of the brush, a poacher aims his shotgun or rifle at him before he's put into a crate. As the two poachers drive away, Zuba races to rescue him, jumping onto the truck and tearing at the crate. We then see one of the poachers aiming his gun at Zuba. We then hear a shot and see Zuba fall off and bounce along the road before stopping and remaining motionless. Young Alex sees that, but his crate then falls off the truck, bounces into a river and flows into the ocean. We then see that Zuba is alive, apparently unharmed from the shot. We see a flashback from the first film showing Nana repeating hitting Alex. Various characters tackle and pile onto Mort who somehow manages to escape from the pile. On a plane, Marty whacks at Alex after the latter admits he broke something belonging to the former. A penguin smashes a warning light on a plane to make it stop blinking. Nana and Alex fight, with various punches and kicks (she knocks out a tooth, he knocks out her dentures), followed by her striking him in the crotch (one character states, "Right in the batteries"), twisting his nipple and other such comedic contact. A safari jeep hits one of the penguins who has fake blood and a cracked open egg by him for effect, but this is a ruse so that the other penguins can steal the jeep. As they do, they end up throwing Nana from the moving jeep. Alex's mom crushes a lightning bug on the wall to turn off the light in Alex's room. Makunga purposefully gives Alex bad information about who to challenge in his right of passage ritual, resulting in Alex having to fight the biggest character around. Alex doesn't take it seriously and thus is blasted backwards hard into a large rock. Makunga knocks another lion aside. Frustrated, Alex punches a hanging bird's nest like a punching bag. That results in many birds flying out from that and attacking him. Makunga knocks another animal aside. Spears are thrown or fired at Alex and Marty who flee in the opposite direction, with a snare getting Alex by the foot and yanking him into the air. Nana prepares to shoot Alex and others with a rifle as they approach in a plane and a bucket hanging below it to take out a dam, but the bucket crashes into the dam and Nana. Nana strikes Makunga in various ways, including a finger into his ear, twisting the fur on his arm, and kicking him in the crotch. Skipper slaps a subordinate. Reviewed October 23, 2008 / Posted November 7, 2008

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