Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #90 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-04-06
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 86 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The sequel to the animated movie Madagascar gives more of everything audiences loved in the first movie: More of the penguins; more of Julian, king of the lemurs; more musical bits of classic rock; and many, many more lions, zebras, hippos, and giraffes. In the first film, a quartet of coddled zoo animals found themselves shipwrecked on the island of Madagascar in a misguided effort to return them to the wild. InMadagascar: Escape 2 Africa, a failed attempt to fly back to New York maroons Alex the lion (voiced by Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) in an animal preserve on the African continent, accompanied by the four deranged penguins and the lunatic lemur king (deliriously voiced by Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat). By wild coincidence, this is where Alex was born--and where his father is still the alpha lion, and where his malevolent uncle seeks to take over (let's call this an homage to The Lion King). The other beasts have their own story arcs, but really it's all an excuse for daffy comic bits. Though the result is disposable, it's also entirely entertaining. The action sequences pop with dizzying spectacle; though some jokes are mainstream fodder, more often they're surprisingly quirky and engagingly oddball. This is the best kind of cotton candy filmmaking--it dissolves into nothing, but it's oh-so-sweet to the taste. --Bret Fetzer

DVD Description
In the highly-anticipated sequel to Madagascar, Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, King Julien, Maurice and the penguins and the chimps find themselves marooned on the distant shores of Madagascar. In the face of this obstacle, the New Yorkers have hatched a plan so crazy it just might work. With military precision, the penguins have repaired an old crashed plane--sort of. Once aloft, this unlikely crew stays airborne just long enough to make it to the wildest place of all--the vast plains of Africa, where the members of our zoo-raised crew encounter species of their own kind for the very first time. Africa seems like a great place…but is it better than their Central Park home?

Synopsis
After they escaped from New York City, the creatures of 2005's Madagascar are back in this African adventure. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa features the return of the first film's vocal talents: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, and Andy Richter.

Customer Reviews

See? Penguins CAN fly
Well I must have seen the first Madagascar film at least twenty times (or heard it in the background) so maybe I prefer this new one because it's different, I don't know, but my children (5 & 8) thought it was a riot and to be honest so did I. Whether it's better or not though, one thing I am quite sure about is that this is a great film for kids and the parents will be laughing almost non-stop too.

Behind the wise-cracks and inevitable mayhem there are some issues to think about, such as the importance of water for animals in the African desert, the rite of passage that a lion goes through within its pride, and I suppose shyness and insecurity and how to deal with these in a would-be relationship. You could say that in their different ways the four friends (the lion, the hippo, the zebra and the giraffe) go through differing challenges relating to their own identities now that, for the first time, they are back in their natural territory among hundreds of similar creatures.

From start to finish though the film's main purpose is to amuse and to entertain and it does that very successfully. Given its main target age group it can't really be criticised as I am sure children will love it. As far as mine are concerned, they have already asked me to get the DVD and I am confident that it will be repeat-viewed just as the original has been.

A very funny animated film suitable for all ages. My favourite character - and I don't seem to be alone here - is Skipper, the penguin 'boss'.

UPDATE 8th April 2009 : Just bought the DVD and watched it again with my children, I haven't changed my mind about it and nor have they. They were laughing throughout. I can now see the similarity with the Lion King better than I did before, but M2 is still more entertaining for children and of course a whole lot funnier.

Madagascar 2 Escape 2 Africa
I took my son to see this film expecting it to be a load of rubbish.. hearing the tales from My friends who have taken their kids to see it... we went to see it on Christmas eve its something we do every year... it was a great film.. it was a joy to hear my son laugh so much... he now wnts the dvd... and games for the ds lite and ps2.... We both loved it... I have to say my friends mustnt have a great sence of humor... it was funny more so in parts.... I've been waiting for the dvd to come out seems like i wont be waiting too long .. I promise you all you will love it.. My son is 8yrs old xx

enjoy luv Jill

Hilarious!
i couldnt stop laughing all the way through.
me and my friend can't stop imitating all the characters, especially moto moto, king lewis and the penguins!
love it!
(: