david-sarkies Honestly, I'm not really sure why I actually watched this movie, though it probably has something to do with having access to it, being bored one night, and having been on the ride at Universal Studios in Singapore. To be blunt I found this film rather dull and pointless. Okay, the opening part of the film which was set in New York was fun but once they arrived at Madagascar the film suddenly went downhill. Also, I was expecting to see a lot more of the penguins than I actually did because as it turned out they were only playing bit parts, but were far and away the best characters in the movie (maybe because they were, as one of the animals described, psychotic).The film is about a Zebra who has turned 10 and lives in the New York Zoo, but spends his days staring at a mural of the wilderness. His best friends are a lion, a hippo, and a giraffe. For the lion life is pretty good because he gets fed steak everyday and is the centre of attention, however the Zebra is pining for better things. So, one day he escapes, and all hell breaks loose, and the authorities decide to send them home. Unfortunately, due to the ship being hijacked by penguins, the crates holding the animals are washed overboard and they land up on the shores of Madagascar.And that is about it. Basically there really is no plot. Okay, there is that Lord of the Flies concept where the animals are trying to fight off their savage nature, or at least the lion is trying to do so, however I'm not really sure if I could consider this to be the central plot. In another sense it is about how sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the otherside of the river, and that we should be content with where we are and what we have. Well, at this all well and good, but society seems to be suggesting something else, especially since the rich and the famous seem to flaunt their wealth (or at least some of them do). I could even suggest that friendship somehow transcends race, but I'm not really sure if I can say that either. In the end it is basically about a bunch of animals trapped on an island – I won't call it a desert island because Madagascar is pretty large for an island.Yet there is another interesting thing that comes up, and that is how animals in captivity generally can't be returned to the wild. Well, the Lion did, but being born and bred in a zoo sort of indicated that there were things he couldn't do and wasn't used to. In a way we find he constantly trying to fight that savage nature that regularly rises up inside of him – in the zoo he was given meat but out in the wild he had to go and find it himself. However a part of me doesn't really want to think about this movie all too deeply because, well, it didn't really thrill me all that much, though I had to admit that there are two more waiting to be watched, but whether I will watch them or not is another story.

areatw 'Madagascar' is a good animated family film, funny enough to be enjoyed by adults as well as kids. The main character work well together, though I would have liked to see more of the penguins and the two monkeys - the funniest characters in the movie.The plot is lacking somewhat and falls away towards the end, but there is enough fun to keep it going for the full 80 minute duration. There were some good choices for the voice actors and the animation was, as you would expect, colourful and on point.What certainly not spectacular, 'Madagascar' is good animated fun that can be enjoyed by all the family.

Wei Jay Tan Original Score:2/4, Movie: ***1/2 (3.5/5), Quality: *** (3/5)From the beginning of the film, we see a sequence of a Zebra running through a field in the wild. Then we hear a penguin choir singing the opening song. Now, I'm just stating this for a reason; this is art direction. Most of us might miss this and move on to how annoying the film might be, but here you can note the art direction and the camera work done by the crew.When I was a young kid, I saw this in a cinema screening. I don't really understand much about film back then, so I don't have much to say after I have finished with the film. But it did get me interested in the characters of the film. But back then I didn't understand the meaning of the dialogue of the film either. Now, returning to the film as an adult, I understand more of the dialog. However fun the comedy may be, it's rather rude at times, especially those suggestive moments and sexual innuendo humor they put in there. Is this for kids to watch? Probably, but it's rather offensive though. Which I think might offend some of the movie's audiences. I was, well, offended by several moments of the film after watching it once again. The moments when Alex and the rest of the animals are at Grand Central Station contains moments of sexual innuendo. And I think that these moments in the film (Not just the ones at the Station, but there are other moments as well) is rather offensive to both children and adults. Though it's humor, it's rude humor. And I for one have a strong dislike for black humor, sexual innuendo humor, violent humor, gruesome humor or anything of that sort. Hence, the presence of sexual innuendo humor may entertain certain adults, but will certainly offend other audiences, both children and adults.Even though the sequences in the film may be well organized, that's work well done. But you can't dismiss the rude humor in the film which, in my opinion, makes it either very good or very bad to watch. There's the humor which will keep kids and adults entertained. But not me. Well, at least there's no extreme violence or bloody scenes in this film. But there are some frightening and irrelevant moments as well. Well, I hated the Simpsons cartoon mostly because of its irrelevant humor, but at least this one is not as irrelevant as the Simpsons.I've seen all three of the Madagascar films in the series, though I have to say each and every one of it is rather annoying. I'm talking about the dialog here; there are some offensive jokes in the film, including one implied profanity when Marty was using the thermometer than Melman gave him for his birthday. Another is the use of words of disease as a joke or reference. I'll say here: I am afraid of disease, they bring suffering to us sentient beings, and I refuse to use them as a reference or jokes because doing so will be using a word of suffering as a moment of enjoyment for an individual. Somehow, I think that this annoying stuff might just as well be labeled "adult humor", it's a kid's film, but perhaps only adults may notice the hidden (explicit) humor in the film. I know that the actors are all doing their best, and I think that they have done a very good job for the voice acting. I was listening to the dialogue, and aside for certain rude humor and certain use of words, I don't have anything to say but to praise the vocal performances. It's (rude) comedy entertainment for many, though not for everyone. But I liked a few things from the film, not the offensive dialogue or jokes though. But the very first of the Madagascar film is OK, compared to the second or the third.Oh, OK! Fine, I had fun. But not THAT much fun.

FilmBuff1994 Madagascar is a great movie with a very enjoyable storyline with a talented and very energetic voice cast topped off with beautiful and colourful animation.The movie is filled with very funny scenes,plenty for both younger and older audiences to enjoy,also the characters are very lovable.While I do like the four main characters,they aren't the movies highlights, that is without a doubt King Julien,voiced brilliantly by Sacha Baron Cohen,and of course the penguins,almost everything these characters say is gold.Madagascar is a very enjoyable movie that I would recommend for the whole family to enjoy.After Marty the zebra (voiced by Chris Rock) escapes from the New York Zoo,himself and his four best friends,Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller),Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Melvin the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) end up stranded on the island of Madagascar.