Product Details

• Actors: Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen
• Directors: Tom McGrath, Eric Darnell
• Writers: Tom McGrath, Eric Darnell, Billy Frolick, Mark Burton
• Producers: Mireille Soria, Teresa Cheng
• Format: NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 2 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Run Time: 86 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (407 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0009PAPL0
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #183,369 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Madagascar" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The penguins steal the show. In the sprightly Madagascar, a mid-life crisis inspires Marty the Zebra (voiced by Chris Rock) to escape from his lifelong home, a New York zoo. His equally pampered friends--Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer)--then escape to bring him back. Unfortunately, their attempt at damage control persuades zoo officials that the animals are unhappy, so all four get shipped to an animal preserve in Kenya...only a squad of maniacal penguins change the destination to Antarctica. The quartet end up on an island where, in addition to meeting some hedonistic lemurs, they learn about the food chain--and that Alex is a different link on the chain from the other three. Madagascar doesn't achieve the snappy perfection of a Pixar movie, but it tops most other computer-animated efforts; the collision of friendship and predator instincts makes for an unusually gripping conflict. The vocal performances of the central characters is serviceable, but Sacha Baron Cohen (Da Ali G Show) provides topnotch lunacy as the lemur king, and the penguins--voiced mostly by the animators themselves--are the best thing in the movie. --Bret Fetzer

From The New Yorker

In DreamWorks' latest attempt at an animated blockbuster, four overcivilized animals from the Central Park Zoo get transported to the wilds of Madagascar. It's a good comic premise, and much of the animation is beautiful, but the filmmakers don't follow through on their ideas. When the kvetching New Yorkers hit the jungle, we hope to see how their peculiar urban skills will allow them to deal with the creeping and crawling terrors. A few cobwebs cling to them, but the chief menace, the Foosas-nasty, hyena-like creatures-turn out to be pussycats. Great visuals, lousy plot. With Ben Stiller as Alex the lion, Chris Rock as Marty, a zebra who horses around too much, David Schwimmer as a hypochondriacal giraffe, and Jada Pinkett Smith as a commonsensical hippo. Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath. -David Denby
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

188 of 202 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh Out Loud Funny, May 31, 2005

By 

Graboidz (Westminster, Maryland) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

I have to admit I was underwhelmed by the ads for "Madagascar", it just didn't look that good. But my kids were anxious to see it so I dragged myself into the theater on Saturday ready to see another kiddie movie along the lines of "Shark Tale" or "Home on the Range". I did not expect to enjoy the movie as much as my seven year old....if not more. "Madagascar" is not only a great animated film and packs as many laughs into it's hour and half as either "Shrek" movie did, "Madagascar" is just a great comedy. There were several times in the movie that were just laugh out loud funny, the scene with the Penguins in Antarctica was worth the price of admission for me! There are plenty of jokes aimed at an older audience, like the reference to "The Twilight Zone" episode "How to Serve Man". The story is great and the characters are really fun. The visuals are stunning and the animation is top-notch. Add all that together with a great soundtrack, and I think "Madagascar" is a great way to kick off the summer movie season. This one ranks right up there with "The Incredibles" and "Shrek".

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for the family..., May 27, 2005

By 

cassidrm - See all my reviews

Madagascar is a cute and funny movie. Parents and kids were laughing through most of the movie. (there was an little while where the story gets boring.) But, I love the penguins and the fact that they are always so sneaky; they really steal the show from the main characters. If you have kids this is a definite must see, we had kids laughing the whole time and most loved the bright colors, music and especially dancing. You saw a lot of little kids dancing in their chairs. People without kids or older kids will also enjoy the movie as it has a lot of jokes for adults to keep us entertained and laughing; the bright colors are also great for us as well as the dancing and music. I felt this cartoon lived up to its previews and the way it was perceived. My only hope is if they do a 2nd one that they include more of those sneaky penguins.

21 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amusing Fun for Young and Old, May 31, 2005

By 

thornhillatthemovies.com (Venice, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Recent animated efforts have tried to create 3-D characters and environments, but the filmmakers have wisely chosen another course for "Madagascar". Adopting a stylized form of animation, the film looks like a living picture book. Everything is cartoonier than we are used to. Alex, Marty and Melman are still rendered in 3-D, but they are not lifelike and appear to be adapted from a children's book, actually adding to the humor. These characters look like stuffed animals and its funny to watch little kids carrying a small toy of Alex home after their visit to the zoo. They seem more believable as zoo animals and they are certainly cute as the dickens.

In all animated films today, a certain level of irreverence, of zaniness is expected. "Madagascar" doesn't reach the heights of the "Shrek" films, but it comes darn close. Everything from Tom Wolfe to "The Twilight Zone", "American Beauty" to "The Planet of the Apes" is parodied in the film. Most of the kids won't get these jokes and the filmmakers know that. They are included for the adults, to keep them interested in the story. The mark of a great animated film is if both adults and children enjoy the experience. For instance, "The Incredibles" was a fantastic blend of story, action, character and humor which will continue to delight people of all ages. "Madagascar" has a very funny story, great characters, and a lot of humor. On a couple of occasions, the story was a little slow, but I think all of the other areas more than compensate for any shortcomings. And adults will laugh at many of the jokes, probably more so than the kids in the audience.

Ben Stiller and Chris Rock are very good. David Schwimmer seems to be injecting a lot of Ross from "Friends" into the role of Melman, not very original but it works. The real standouts are Tom McGrath and Sacha Baron Cohen.

There are a couple of brilliant additions to the film, which help it rise above. Marty's ideas of visiting the wild are originally fed by Skipper the Penguin (Tom McGrath). Skipper and his sidekicks, two other penguins, are determined to break out of the zoo and return to Antarctica. They skulk around corners like CIA operatives, act in clandestine ways, and manage to accomplish most of their goals. The penguins are a brilliant addition to the story and really liven up the proceedings. I laughed out loud during most of their appearances. For a while, their story takes them in a different direction from the rest of the gang and we lose track of them. Because they are so funny, you long for their return.

When the animals land in Madagascar, they meet King Julian the lemur (Sacha Baron Cohen, TV's "Ali G") and Maurice, his right hand lemur (Cedric the Entertainer) and their entire kingdom of lemurs. Cohen seemed to be channeling the spirit of Peter Sellers, because his voice was an uncanny reproduction of some of Seller's characters. He is very funny as the King, always working on an angle as he tries to figure things out. The Lemurs add a level of frenetic activity and zaniness to the film, ratcheting the humor up a few notches.

The least interesting voice actor is Jada Pinkett Smith. She simply doesn't add anything to the character. IMDb.com lists a handful of other people who were considered for the role and I have to say that I don't think any of them would have made a significant contribution either. A comedian would have been a nice touch. Instead, Gloria seems to be the lone voice of reason among the group, dragging everything down.

"Madagascar" is a really good, very funny film suitable for the entire family. But it is also a great choice if you are with a date or simply alone and want to watch a funny film. You'll enjoy it.