Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

[Impact]

Review, Discuss and Have Fun!

[jb007]

Brilliant, colorful visuals and completely entertaining. It is manicly fast paced with the signature score. It is an excellent movie for all ages.

A

[Gopher]

Crazy, nonsensical, and far more entertaining than the first two films. Well done, Dreamworks.

[AniNate]

Gave it a chance, and I'm glad I did. I have to admit I still wasn't really on board with it through the opening action sequence, which probably is more exciting if you're already familiar with the characters. But once the movie finally slowed down and got into the actual story, I was hooked. It's a pretty basic kids movie plot, with the main characters forced to pose as something their not and eventually having to face up to the lie, but Madagascar 3 treats it with a sense of self-awareness and levity appropriate for the franchise's tone.

The characters are in general more likable than I thought they'd be, and the annoying ones are treated with the disdain they deserve when it's called for. The villain was even better than I hoped, with McDormand giving a deliriously over-the-top performance and providing one of the most inspired riffs on Inception I think I'll ever see. She was worth the price of admission alone.

Technically it's impeccable, with a lot of incredible "camerawork" and a couple setpieces that are honestly quite awe-inspiring, almost on the level of Disney and Pixar's visual flourishes.

Props to Dreamworks, they really went all out to keep this franchise going and made a very entertaining film in the process. I'd be really tempted to give it an A grade if it weren't for those overly manic first ten minutes. As it is...

B+

Edited June 10, 2012 by tribefan695

[AppMini]

Madagascar 3

Plaza del Caribe

Ponce, P.R.

9:35PM, 6/9/2012

Audience Report - 100% full. Lines stretched out very far. The overall atmosphere was comparable to DH2 and The Avengers. You should NEVER underestimate the international popularity of these kid-centric franchises.

Trailers - Only a trailer (more like a preview scene) of Brave. No Wreck-It Ralph to my disappointment.

Review

These last few years, DreamWorks has silenced the skeptics with triumphs like Kung Fu Panda and it's sequel, How To Train Your Dragon and (most shockingly of all) Puss-in-Boots. Their philosophy has improved tremendously in terms of animation quality, sophisticated wit and meaningful storytelling. But would these improvements carry over to Madagascar 3 of all things?

Yes, they do. Well, at least the animation and the wit. These characters were never built to tug at our hearts the way most Pixar ensembles do. But they don't need to, because they have enough style for the miles of this globetrotting adventure.

The animation was one aspect that put me off from watching the first two installments. Yet here, my mind was blown away by the detail bursting from every rendered frame and by the sophistication and careful timing of each crafted setpiece. This is yet another compelling argument for CGI's ability to convey zany slapstick as authentically as Bugs Bunny and co. did in the Golden Age.

The approach to humor was another thing that put me off from watching the previous films; obviously, I can't make a fair comparison between this and the other films, but I did sit through Shrek the Third and I can safely say this is a vastly superior threequel. The story isn't remarkable, but it efficiently nails it's bullet points of conflict and pathos. The humor is carried mostly by the charisma of it's animal cast (and the sensational villain played by McDormand) rather than by attention-seeking references to whatever was culturally hip during production. The most glaring example of the latter arrives via that We No Speak Americano song we'd all rather forget, but other than that, it's cool.

If DreamWorks can make me enjoy a Madagascar film, who knows what they'll accomplish in the future?

B+

Edited June 11, 2012 by Raddish

[Rudolf]

wonderful, best thing the villain: Edith Piaf-like Non Je Ne Regret Riena real fire work of ideas totally different from the first 2

[Vanilla]

Easily the best Madagascar.7.5/10

[lilmac]

I give Madagascar a B+. The kids in the audience loved it and that made it more enjoyable for me. Mad3 is funnier than Brave although Brave is still a better film (though not by much and that's a testament to how good Mad3 is). I loved the humor and the story even though it doesn't have the weight of Brave. It's just mindless entertainment. There were a couple of scenes which didn't deliver which is why it's not an A but overall the voice work, humor, fun, and adventure make this a must-see for families.

[Noctis]

Fantastic fun and one of the funniest movies I've seen in a while. I was gobsmacked by how great this was. And this is coming from someone who hates the first and can barely remember anything from the second.

A

[Gopher]

That moment in the beginning chase scene where Maurice gives a half smile when he thinks King Julien is falling to his death? I was laughing for the next five minutes. Baumbach clearly had a lot to do with this one actually being funny. He needs to come back for the inevitable fourth movie.

[narniadis]

the best of the series so far.... laughed a great deal and look forward to seeing this again....A-

[Impact]

Madagascar 34:20PMAbout 20% fullTrailers:Ice Age 4: Laughs.Despicable Me 2: Tons of laughs.To the Artic: Okay....Hotel Translvania: Tons of laughs, intersting this was a diffrent trailer then I saw yesterday-it was a older trailer.Rise of the Guardians: Tons of laughs.Movie: The BEST Madagascar. This and Ice Age are alike-the sequels keep on getting better. I pretty much figured out the ending (DUH!). The voice cast-impressive. Did not know that was Martin Short or Frances McDormand. The best circus film since um Dumbo? (Okay I said that part on purpose-how many circus films are there ) The soundtrack is great-then again the franchise has always been good with that. Mort gave tons of laughs. As did Julian. But I just loved the Sea Lion-he was funny.A-

[Vanilla]

Madagascar 3

4:20PM

About 20% full

Trailers:

Ice Age 4: Laughs.

Despicable Me 2: Tons of laughs.

To the Artic: Okay....

Hotel Translvania: Tons of laughs, intersting this was a diffrent trailer then I saw yesterday-it was a older trailer.

Rise of the Guardians: Tons of laughs.

Movie: The BEST Madagascar. This and Ice Age are alike-the sequels keep on getting better. I pretty much figured out the ending (DUH!). The voice cast-impressive. Did not know that was Martin Short or Frances McDormand. The best circus film since um Dumbo? (Okay I said that part on purpose-how many circus films are there ) The soundtrack is great-then again the franchise has always been good with that. Mort gave tons of laughs. As did Julian. But I just loved the Sea Lion-he was funny.

A-

This is because the movie has been out for 2 weeks longer. Was this digital? At my theatre we update trailers when ever we get a new one in, and also if a movie has already came out but its trailer is playing on another film, we replace it with a different trailer.

[CoolioD1]

Was really meh on the first two, but this one is surprisingly a shitload of fun. All the stuff with McDormand's character is killer.

[Impact]

I agree, though Brian Craston stole the show.This and Brave were really great.

[BK007]

It wins you over slightly with the set pieces at the end, and all that colour.But, at the end of it all, it's still a Madagascar movie whose characters are hardly lovable.It reinvents itself, which is great, but there really is no overarching reason why it should exist.Call me a grinch, but both this and Ice Age 4, pass. Brave still better by miles and don't think this is even better overall than the disappointing KFP2.

[ladyevenstar22]

watched this with my nephews and have to say it was super funny, so much vivid colours, and the pace was great!!!the villain she was crazy good, i was like the penguin admirative of her stamina and determination to catch them!all in all it was good fun ! i've liked madagascar series since the first.....gave it an A

[TheMovieman]

Great entry into the series (which I've mostly enjoyed) and DreamWorks Animation seems to have positioned itself as second place to Pixar. B+

[mattmav45]

It wins you over slightly with the set pieces at the end, and all that colour.

But, at the end of it all, it's still a Madagascar movie whose characters are hardly lovable.

It reinvents itself, which is great, but there really is no overarching reason why it should exist.

Call me a grinch, but both this and Ice Age 4, pass. Brave still better by miles and don't think this is even better overall than the disappointing KFP2.

I agree with this.

It does have its funny moments, and is better than previous installments.......but I felt like I should have been on some hard drugs to truly enjoy it.

I will say, it was damn funny when they get to the Coliseum.....and the penguin goes, "What a dump!" Also liked the "Canadian work ethic" line. Good stuff.

C

[Kvikk Lunsj]

I thought the first 30 minutes had a lot of charm to but the film starts loosing its charm and becomes an average film but I am surprised it was not terrible like the trailers suggested.

5/10