Review 62: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is a brilliant sequel and another example of how good Dreamworks sequels can be,

Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria, who try to escape Madagascar and get back to New York, but they crash-land in Africa.
While the penguins repair the plane in which they came in, Alex is reunited with his parents, Zuba (Bernie Mac) and Florrie (Sherri Shepherd), Marty (Chris Rock) fits in with a herd of zebra who all look and sound exactly like him. Melman (David Schrimer) becomes a witch doctor and Gloria, attracts the attention of a smooth-talking hippo named Moto Moto (will.i.am).
Trouble aries after Alex fails a traditional coming-of-age challenge because he was mislead by a fellow lion Makunga (Alec Baldwin) is banished from the pride and resulting in Makunga becoming the alpha lion.
Stranded tourists led by Nana (Elisa Gabrielli), a tough old woman known for beating up Alex in the first film then steel the animals water supply and its up to Alex and his friends to set things right.

The plot borrows heavily from The Lion King and Happy Feet, but provides enough laughs, gags, wit and depth to compensate. It also has a few surprises of its own and really develops our characters.
The animation is better than the first film, the African setting is gorgeous, the production design is breathtaking, the humor is just brilliant, Eric Darnell's and Tom McGrath's animation direction is stylish, the character design is impressive, the editing is precise and the music is great.
The voice acting is great too, Stiller, Rock, Smith and Schwimmer are cool as usual, Bernie Mac is strong as Zuba (this was one of Mac's last films before his death) and Alec Baldwin made an entertaining villain.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is a solid sequel and I look forward to the third film coming out in 2012, 4/5.

The Anonymous Critic