Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17195 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-06-19
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Animated, Box set, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 185 minutes

Synopsis
Two features. In 'Madagascar' the friendship between a New York City lion and zebra is tested when fate brings them out to the unforgiving wilderness in this computer-animated feature. Chris Rock does the voice of Marty the Zebra, whose longing to explore beyond his cushy Central Park Zoo boundaries is the impetus that ultimately strands him and his pals on the shores of savage Madagascar. Marty loves the new, edible scenery, but his best friend Alex (voiced by Ben Stiller) the Lion begins to starve since his diet of thick steaks has been cut off, and the rump of his friend starts to look mighty tasty. Their other friends, a hypochondriac giraffe (David Schwimmer) and a sassy hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), try their best to think of a solution as the call of the wild slowly turns the starving Alex into Marty's worst nightmare. Meanwhile the hilariously self aggrandising King of the Ocelots (Sacha Cohen) has a plan to use Marty to repel their own carnivore problem. This kid-oriented comedy stays adult-friendly every step of the way thanks to a clever script that mixes New Yorker humour and even some existentialism in with the pratfalls and spit-takes. Jolts of comedic brilliance are supplied by some Arctic-bound escaped con penguins, and a couple of literary apes. It's not a musical, but classic songs from the likes of Louis Armstrong and Sammy Davis Jr. keep the montages flowing loose and sassy. Also includes 'Penguin Christmas Caper'.

Customer Reviews

a little added extra...
Madagascar as a stand-alone feature was really an excellent example of modern cinema cartoons with the wonderful animation we have come to expect from the likes of toy story or moinsters inc. the real treat in this, however, are the vocal gymnastics of david schwimmer (melman), chris rock (marty) and sacha baron cohen (julien). somehow turning ross into an accident-prone giraffe was a master-stroke! beautiful, fun, lightweight entertainment which was just about perfect at 86mins and holds the attention right through.

the christmas caper features the skipper and his privates (the mischevious penguins plotting an escape in madagascar). i saw the featurette when i went to see 'the curse of the were-rabbit' and it was an enjoyable added extra. the penguins provided more than their fair-share of the humour in the film and here shine on their own for about 10mins. the zoo is celebrating christmas merrily, but the private notices the polar bear is rather sad and alone so he heads out to find a present, getting himself kidnapped in the process. the skipper leads his crack-team of pyromaniac penguins into action to save the private from a certain (pooch-related) demise!

Remember the children!!
First of all, let's laugh at the adults moaning about this film being 'terrible' or 'shallow'. Apart from being entirely wrong, they also seem to have forgotten that this ones for the kids!
There are really two points of view that matter here; the kid that watches the movie repeatedly and the adult that has to put up with it! On the first account my three year old son has been watching this for at least a year and still loves it. Multiple viewings don't seem to have tarnished it much at all and the opening three minutes still make him giggle with delight.
For me, as the suffering adult, I'd still give it a high rating. The animation is stylish, the casting perfect and the script funny. As has been mentioned in other reviews, the penguins are absolutely classic! I also loved the American Beauty and Planet Of the Apes references. OK, I admit it. I'm a big kid and as such I also give it the thumbs up!
Parents, get this!

Well....
I am not quite sure about this film. I liked it for what it was, a kids film. But i am not sure weather or not i think it is good. It certainly isn't great. My three year old daughter likes it but doesn't play it as much as other films like Wallace and Gromit and Shark Tale.
The story doesn't really exist but it is fun for the kids.
The penguins are the best thing about this film and their christmas caper is hilarious. I hope there is going to be a spin off for them because they made the movie worth watching.
All in all this is okay for the kids if it keeps their attention but not that fussed on it. I have given it four stars because one is for Madagascar and three are for the Penguins.