Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) Online

2012 Ben Stiller Jada Pinkett Smith Chris Rock Eric Darnell Tom McGrath

Original Title :: Madagascar 3: Europeu0027s Most Wanted
Genre :: Movie / Animation / Adventure / Comedy / Family
Year :: 2012
Directror :: Eric Darnell,Tom McGrath
Cast :: Ben Stiller,Jada Pinkett Smith,Chris Rock
Writer :: Eric Darnell,Noah Baumbach
Budget :: $145,000,000
Type :: Movie
Time :: 1h 33min
Rating :: 6.8/10

The Madagascar animals join a struggling European circus to get back to New York, but find themselves being pursued by a psychotic animal control officer.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) Online

Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman are still trying to get back to the Big Apple and their beloved Central Park zoo, but first they need to find the penguins. When they travel to Monte Carlo, they attract the attention of Animal Control after gate crashing a party and are joined by the penguins, King Julian and Co., and the monkeys. How do a lion, zebra, hippo, giraffe, four penguins, two monkeys, three lemurs travel through Europe without attracting attention and get back to New York? They join a traveling circus. Their attempts to get back to New York are consistently hampered by the Captain of Animal Control who wants to make Alex part of her collection. Once they make it back to New York Marty, Alex, Gloria and Melman realize that they want to be part of the traveling circus.

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Ben Stiller	-	Alex (voice)
	Chris Rock	-	Marty (voice)
	David Schwimmer	-	Melman (voice)
	Jada Pinkett Smith	-	Gloria (voice)
	Sacha Baron Cohen	-	Julien (voice)
	Cedric the Entertainer	-	Maurice (voice)
	Andy Richter	-	Mort (voice)
	Tom McGrath	-	Skipper / First Policeman (voice)
	Frances McDormand	-	Captain Chantal Dubois (voice)
	Jessica Chastain	-	Gia (voice)
	Bryan Cranston	-	Vitaly (voice)
	Martin Short	-	Stefano (voice)
	Chris Miller	-	Kowalski (voice)
	Christopher Knights	-	Private (voice)
	Conrad Vernon	-	Mason / Second Policeman (voice)

When the monkeys are dressed up they go by the name 'King of Versailles'; the actual Kings of France who lived in Versailles palace were Louis' XIV, XV, and XVI, the last being infamously married to Marie Antoinette. The license plate of the penguins' car reads EAT CAKE, a quote often attributed to Antoinette.

Captain Chantel DuBois sings approximately 1 minute of "Non, je ne regrette rien" to her henchmen. This is a French song best known through its 1960 recording by Édith Piaf. Piaf dedicated her recording of the song to the French Foreign Legion (FFL), which has now become part of the FFL heritage and is sung when they are on parade. Due to the men's reaction, it is assumed that all of them serve or served in the FFL.

In one scene, Skipper yells "Baba Booey", the nickname of Gary Dell'Abate, and a term oftentimes yelled during 'live' interviews from passersby.

At least two elements from the first 2 Madagascar films do not show up in this movie: Nana (the crazy old lady who beat up Alex several times) and the The Twilight Zone (1959) spoofs.

Mason the chimpanzee is voiced by Conrad Vernon, one of the directors.

The first Madagascar film to not be nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Animated Film.

DreamWorks Animation's 4th highest grossing film, their highest grossing film outside of the Shrek franchise, and their only non-Shrek movie to make over $700 million worldwide.

WILHELM SCREAM: A motor cycle driver screams as he flies out of the freeway. (International version only)

When Captain Dubois appears through the smoke of the exploding Ferrari, in the moment the penguins escape the casino, a license plate flies by her. It reads "BL0B1" which when pronounced letter by letter in French sounds "Beelzebub 1", also her silhouette breify resembles a devil with horns and tail.

At 93 minutes, this is the longest Madagascar movie.

Is the only Madagascar film where the voice of one of the humans is listed in the Casting Call of Major Cast Members outside the Credit Crawl, being Frances McDormand (Captain DuBois).

In the movie Gia says that she is 5 which in jaguar years means she is about 35.

Chris Rock's 4th DreamWorks Animation film, after Madagascar (2005), Bee Movie (2007) and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008).

Ben Stiller's 4th DreamWorks Animation film after Madagascar (2005), Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008), and Megamind (2010). All these films were directed by Tom McGrath and composed by Hans Zimmer.

Martin Short's 2nd DreamWorks Animation film, after The Prince of Egypt (1998).

Character designer Craig Kellman modeled Stefano's face on his own.

The voice for King Julien is different than his singing voice which was done by Danny Jacob.

The film has a couple of elements carried over from the 'Penguins of Madagascar' TV series: Rico regurgitates as often as he does in 'The Penguins of Madagascar', and King Julien ends up being the unlikely hero, as he was in many of the episodes of 'The Penguins of Madagascar'.

Amy Adams were considered for the role of Gia.

Russell Brand were considered for the role of Vitaly.

Craig Robinson were considered for the role of Stefano.

Robin Williams were considered for the role of Stefano.

Kevin Spacey were considered for the role of Vitaly.

Geena Davis were considered for the role of Gia.

Hugo Weaving were considered for the role of Vitaly.

Billy Crystal were considered for the role of Stefano.

Jack Black were considered for the role of Stefano.

Sigourney Weaver were considered for the role of Gia.

Kristen Bell were considered for the role of Gia.

Zooey Deschanel were considered for the role of Gia.

Susan Sarandon were considered for the role of Gia.

Carrie Fisher were considered for the role of Captain Chantel DuBois.

Christine Baranski were considered for the role of Gia.

Jeff Bridges were considered for the role of Vitaly.

Michael Cera were considered for the role of Stefano.

Bette Midler were considered for the role of Captain Chantel DuBois.

Sophia Bush were considered for the role of Gia.

Lewis Black were considered for the role of Stefano.

Nicolas Cage were considered for the role of Vitaly.

This is the first DreamWorks Animation film since Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) to be shown in a 1:85:1 aspect ratio.

The only film of the franchise to not have any characters voiced by experienced voice actors Fred Tatasciore and Sean P Mullen in the first film Tatasciore and Mullen voiced most of the fossas whilst in the second film Tatasciore voiced an elephant and Teetsi as well as a poacher at the start of the film and Mullen voiced a lemur.

When Melman and Gloria are on the high wire. Gloria tells Melman, "All eyes on me." Gloria voiced by Jada Pinkett Smith, was very close friends with the late Tupac Shakur. Shakur's fourth album was called "All Eyez on Me."

Ben Stiller (Alex), Chris Rock (Marty), Jada Pinkette Smith (Gloria), David Schwimmer (Melman), Sacha Baron Cohen (King Julien), Andy Richter (Mort), Cedric the Entertainer (Maurice), Tom McGrath (Skipper), Christopher Miller (Kawasaki), Christopher Knights (Private), Conrad Vernon (Mason), and Frank Welker (Animal Vocals) have appeared in all three films of the Madagascar franchise.

At the end of the movie, you can see that the sign indicating the name of the ship with Captain DuBois cargo aboard, is "Mal De Mer" which, when translated from Madagascar's official language of French, means "Seasickness".

On the ship at the end that is headed to Madagascar, DuBois' crew are in crates on the upper deck. On the sides of the crates is stenciled Freedom Fries, Freedom Dressing, Freedom Toast and Freedom Dip Sandwiches, a popular joke in the USA to eliminate the name "French" from certain foods.

In the scene where Capitaine DuBois is in the jail and escapes, when the police officer goes to rip off the poster, it's a spitting image and throwback to The Shawshank Redemption.

User reviews

Maridor

Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman and the rest of their gang return in the third installment of the "Madagascar" series, and yes they are still trying to get back home to New York City. This film has them traveling with a group of circus animals all throughout Europe on the run from a French animal hunter who has killed every animal and has mounted their head on her wall, except for a lion.

This movie stars the voice talents of Ben Stiller (Tower Heist, Tropic Thunder), Chris Rock (Grown ups, The Longest Yard), David Schwimmer (Friends, John Carter), Jada Pinkett Smith (Ali, Collateral), Sasha Baron Cohen (Borat, Bruno), Cedric the Entertainer (Larry Crowne, Ice Age), and Bryan Cranston (Drive, Breaking Bad). Everyone did a great job with their characters and it was a blast to hear all these familiar voices in a film together again.

I have been a fan of the previous "Madagascar" films, and that still is the case, but I really didn't have any hype for this movie because from the trailers, it didn't really look that good. I am glad to say that it is the complete opposite of that. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed film from start to finish and thought that for certain audiences, the film is perfect. If you are a younger person (12 and under) the movie will entertain and make you laugh the entire time. Now for the other demographic (13 and up), the film is still a really fun experience having jokes that adults would get, as well as some really funny situations.

The "Madagascar" series has been known to be over the top, but "Madagascar 3″ takes the cake for being the most over the top one yet. You can not simply go into this movie expecting a toned down film featuring animals that can talk and doing anything that humans can. You have to go into this film with an open mind and just enjoy the ride. I found myself laughing constantly throughout the film and I couldn't help but have a smile on my face the entire time. This movie made me feel like I was a kid again and that is one of the best feelings there is.

This is easily the best movie in the series in my opinion. What really blew me away though was something that wasn't crucial to the movie, and that was the 3D. This is probably some of the best 3D I have seen in a film. I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to pop out next. If you see this film, please do yourself a favor and see the 3D version of it, you will not be disappointed. I highly recommend this film to all ages. Whether you are a kid or an adult, you will find enjoyment in this film.

Rating 7.5/10

White_Nigga

There are eager animated film franchises that rehashed the same old themes and gags in all its installments, and deservedly crashed under its own repetitiveness. Think Shrek, which started brightly, but with each sequel the grumpy ogre and his friends started to become cheap parodies of themselves. There are other film franchises that grow from strength to strength though, such as Ice Age where we get to go on an incredibly long journey with its characters trying to survive the inevitable change and extinction, and then there's Madagascar, with Europe's Most Wanted surprisingly having a lot more to offer than what it had suggested.

We go back to where we last left off, rejoining Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) and Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) who are still in Africa, but getting homesick and yearn for their lives back in New York. So they hatch a plan to regroup with the Penguins, who had left with the Monkeys in their flying machine to Monte Carlo and its glitzy casinos, and compel them to take everyone back to New York. Granted it's a slow start, but when it picked up with Frances McDormand voicing the French policewoman Captain Chantel DuBois, more of an animal hunter in disguise and hell bent on adding a lion to her trophy wall, it really went over the top with a multitude of action sequences that get set to show off dedicated and meticulously crafted moments for 3D. It's clearly one of the better 3D efforts in an animated feature film that took pains to ensure the medium got milked for the premium ticket you paid for.

Then the narrative goes up a notch with the introduction of some circus animals with whom our protagonists get to mix with in order to momentarily escape the fanatical clutches of DuBois, and in comes the opportunity to expand on its cast, with the likes of Jessica Chastain, Bryan Cranston and Martin Short entering the fray as a cheetah, tiger and sea lion respectively, each with its own distinct quirk, objective and baggage. It's a zoo animal meets circus animal rivalry formed, and Alex and gang wanting to stick around, with thanks to the Penguins, because the circus is en route to Rome and London, where an American circus event promoter would be in town to evaluate if the troupe can make money if brought across the Atlantic, and naturally, New York.

I'm rather surprised by the depth of the narrative here, as Eric Damell and Noah Baumbach's screenplay managed to squeeze a lot in under 90 minutes sans end credits roll. Characters don't get thrown in for fun, but have enough screen time to perform without getting the feeling of being redundant to the whole scheme of things, and how they all blend well together for the major set action pieces, complete with comedy ranging from witty repartee to physical slapstick gags. The major new entrants to this installment will also become crowd favourites, such as the girly cheetah Gia, the curt Russian tiger Vitaly who has to reclaim his theatrical mojo, and Stefano the sea lion trying his very best to hold the entire troupe together, while not being very bright himself.

Every scene got designed to have the characters endear themselves to the audience, even if they come silent, such as the bicycle riding bear, and a couple of English dogs voiced by the likes of Vinnie Jones, Steve Jones and Nick Fletcher. Paz Vega also lent her voice to a collective group of show-horses, while perennial favourites such as Sacha Baron Cohen's Julien and Cedric the Entertainer's Maurice almost always threaten to run away with the show, given their rather spaced out moments that run outside of the main narrative thread. There are colours galore with gags running wild, and I'd suspect where your sense of humour might have been misplaced if there's absolutely nothing here in the film that can tickle your funny bone.

With an assortment of pop songs ranging from 90s hits to those by Katy Perry, the signature theme song only got an airplay during the end credits, and is an amalgamation of the Afro Circus song written by Chris Rock, that somehow had a strange yet infectious blend that epitomizes everything that had transpired in this film, and set itself up for more. Themes of friendship and sticking together through thick and thin, of never giving up and the likes, are good themes to have for a film that's going to appeal to the young for sure.

I'd like to think there's a stop at three policy and to leave the franchise as it is now, going off at a high, rather than to continue with a formula that would ultimately show its age. Madagascar 3 worked and delivered everything you'd expect of a crowd pleaser that can appeal to all age groups, and I'm very much compelled to earmark this for a 3D blu-ray title for keeps. Definitely highly recommended in my books, given its rarity of it improving upon the strengths of its predecessors, and finding room to add more characters, not caricatures, to its mythos.

Saintrius

I watched this at the Cannes Film Festival 2012 after deciding to take a break from all the serious art-house fare on offer. With the exception of Ben Stiller's lead all the original supporting leads take virtually a back seat in this third instalment. But several great new characters are introduced namely Frances McDormand as Captain Chantel DuBois, Bryan Cranston as Vitaly and the fabulous Martin Short as Stefano. All there performances are stand out but wished Shorts Stefano was featured more. Cranston as Vitaly was beautifully menacing but it is the wacky deadly policewoman in charge of hunting down and capturing the animals as they make their way across Europe which is the centre of the narrative drive. Since the police team where obviously the bad guys (DuBois only wants to capture Mike (Ben Stiller) so she can add his head to her mounted collection of stuffed animals on her office wall) it was ironic that I watched this in France since the police were portrayed as bunch gung-ho obsessive freaks (DuBois crawls around on all fours to sniff down her prey like a dog come insect). The film was screened in 3D, initially I was apprehensive since I don't really enjoy 3D movies but this was a pleasant surprise. After a few minutes I had completely forgotten that I was wearing the 3D glasses and actually...in the spectacular climatic scene I was completely wowed. An explosion of vivid movement and colour formed an intricate moving tapestry of light and colour that was gorgeous to watch. The kids will love it and any one young at heart enough to let themselves loose themselves in escapist fun for a couple of hours. One of the best "family" animation films that I've seen in years and highly recommended. Oh I nearly forgot....Baron Cohen's (as The King) love affair with a giant mute bear is both surreal and priceless!

Akir

Finally! We have a movie in 2012 that is worth every minute and every penny. If your kids (or you, for that matter) cannot stop singing "Circus! Afro!" then go ahead and see Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted in 3D. It is the most clever, fun, and exciting animated film to hit theaters in a long time.

When we see our favorite zoo escapees this time, they are on the run with their jungle friends in Europe. Alex (Ben Stiller), Marty (Chris Rock), Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Melman (David Schwimmer) desperately want to get back to Central Park. Standing in their way is Captain Chantel Dubois (Frances McDormand) as the most evil animal control officer in the world. They narrowly escape her clutches by jumping on a train with a traveling circus. Now their only hope for getting to New York is to buy the circus and whip them into good enough shape to earn a touring contract in America.

Director and screenwriter Eric Darnell does an excellent job of leading the crew with this third installment. The story incorporates new characters beautifully by adding a love interest for Alex (Gia, voiced by Jessica Chastain), a dopey friend for Marty (Stefano, voiced by Martin Short), and a fallen hero everyone can cheer for (Vitaly, a tiger voiced by Bryan Cranston). King Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen) also finds love in a big bear wearing a tutu named Sonya, and the results are as hilariously sweet as the love saga of Donkey and Dragon. Kids will be able to keep up with all of the new names and nationalities and may even find a new favorite character in the bunch.

What makes this movie truly magic is the skillful use of 3D technology. Every leap on the flying trapeze, flight out of a cannon, and grasp at an animal's tail by Captain Dubois jumps out of the screen and excites the senses. It is so refreshing to see a movie in 3D that actually takes full advantage of its capability. The clever script and silly animation also kept me laughing, but I could have done without all of the jabs at people of Russian, French, Canadian, and basically all non-American descent. What was initially funny drifted toward mean, and resulted in one joke that was totally inappropriate. These moments only accounted for about 5 of the nearly 90 minutes of running time, so do not let that deter you from enjoying this chaotic adventure.

Madagascar 3 is just like going to the circus, but with more laughter and less wondering about how the animals are treated backstage. If you still like to "move it, move it," then you need to see it see it!

Review courtesy of The Rogers Revue

Morlurne

As with most sequels, the quality greatly decreases with the number. Madagascar 3 is not an exception. I watched the first Madagascar back in 2005 and me and my friends found it hilarious. The second installment was still OK, but this one ... terribly sucks. I looked at the movie rating and the raving reviews and I am still wondering if the people were on some kind of drugs while watching it. Maybe one of the reasons is that I watched it on 2d and did not get the 3d treatment like the rest, but if one dimension will make you rate a movie that high, then the humanity is definitely in trouble.

For me it seems that this episode was created for kids up to 5-6 years of age: simple jokes, whole bunch of rainbows and bright colors, lots of musical flicks, many scenes that lack logical explanation (from being in Africa the animals end up in Monte Carlo swimming - why didn't they swim to the US in the first place then), lots of shallow characters, really insanely overblown circus tricks (a tiger going through a ring after being lubricated from head to toe).

Even the penguins are not the same. I cannot really say what was wrong with them, but they seem to be just a part of the scenery.

The only thing that was missing was pink unicorns, but I think it was well compensated by a zebra painted in white with colorful spots, wearing a rainbow-colored wig and singing something about polka. Genuinely ridiculous. Someone in the reviews was wondering what drug were the creators of this movie on ...

The only thing I really laughed at was the relationship between the lemur and the bear.

So, to summarize: if you are more than 5 years old you should find that this movie was a total waste of your time and money.

Frdi

It's hard to believe that it has been over seven years since the first "Madagascar" film arrived in theaters back in 2005. Now, the number of installments in the movie franchise has risen to three. In "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" we are reunited with our beloved Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe. Our favorite animals are stuck in Africa and are missing their home in Central Park Zoo in New York. In the process, they head to Europe (marking a shift in the setting compared to its two predecessors which are set in Africa) where most of the adventure takes place. Regardless, this third installment is a marked improvement from its two excellent predecessors, offers a great deal of fun, and promises a hear-pumping ride.

"Europe's Most Wanted" is mostly set in Europe, from Monte Carlo all the way to London. This marks a shift in the setting compared to its two predecessors which are set in Africa. Anyways, you're probably wondering "What happens in this third installment?". Apparently our four favorite animals are stranded in Africa along with King Julien, Maurice, and Mort. The penguins and monkeys left them and head to Monte Carlo (specifically the luxurious casinos) and promise to never come back. The remaining seven animals then head to Europe to capture the penguins and monkeys in the hotel, only to cause trouble. Because of the chaos that ensues, Animal Control Captain Chantel DuBois is hired to capture these escaped animals in a chase that spans all over Europe. DuBois is ruthless and she actually wants the animals dead, especially Alex. Aside from ruthless, she possesses some of the coolest moves you would least expect from an elderly woman, and some of the most preposterous tracking methods, more reminiscent of a dog's.

Along the way, the escapees encounter the circus train belonging to the Circus Zaragoza (later renamed Afro Circus) where we meet new friends (which consist of the circus's members). This includes Stefano the sea lion who is a sea lion cannonball, Gia the jaguar who is a skilled trapeze, and the most harrowing of them all, Vitaly the tiger who can jump through a ring of all sizes (even as small as an engagement ring). We also meet Sonya the Bear, whom King Julien develops a romantic yet comedic relationship with. Apparently the circus has been losing its luster ever since Vitaly's bad incident years ago. From then on, the circus crew just didn't have that same energy and excitement they had before. Alex later on along with his friends attempt to rebuild the circus by developing some of the sickest and breathtaking stunts ever for a circus show.

The breathtaking circus stunts bring one of the most entertaining scenes in the entire movie. The scene I'm talking about is when the circus crew, now added with Alex and friends, performed in London. I like how they combine the different acts together along with the neon lights, fantastic sets, and not to forget, Katy Perry's "Firework" song playing in the background, to create something so spectacular and bright and colorful. Add the stunning 3D effect and this scene is just flawless.

"Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" is humorous and is better than the previous two installments even in terms of humor. Marty the Zebra' jokes assure that this film will be humorous while the romantic relationship between Sonya the Bear and King Julien is silly that it makes you laugh. But what made me laugh the most was DuBois's preposterous methods of tracking the animals. She can crawl on all fours and inhale the air to see what the scene was like hours ago. It is so preposterous that it's funny and humorous. She also possesses some of the coolest moves you'll ever see, most of them present in the chase scene in Monte Carlo where DuBois jumps over obstacles with her bike and does crazy stunts.

The actors gave applauding voice performances. Ben Stiller was great as usual providing the voice of Alex the Lion. Chris Rock delivered a great sound for Marty the Zebra. Jada Pinkett Smith gave a strong voice for Gloria the Hippo whereas David Schwimmer provided a great sound for Melman the Giraffe. Frances McDormand gave one of the best performances as she voices DuBois with ruthlessly and hauntingly whereas Bryan Cranston delivered a menacing voice for Vitaly the Tiger. I also loved Martin Short's performance as the sea lion Stefano where he makes Stefano an extremely likable figure and I wished that his screen time had been extended and made longer.

The 3D is also one thing to note about for this film. It's excellent and enhances the movie experience. One of the scenes that benefit from 3D is the circus show set in London where there is an eclectic mix of fantastic sets, breathtaking stunts, and the beautiful upbeat song ("Firework" by Katy Perry) in the background. It makes you feel the movie more and makes the ride more thrilling.

Whether you're a fan of the previous two installments or not, go watch this one. "Europe's Most Wanted" is an improvement from the previous two films, even when its predecessors are already excellent. Its shift in the setting makes the movie more interesting and the presence of a human villain makes it more exciting. The 3D enhances the movie experience and allows you to feel more and capture the heart of the film. Overall, "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" is a great film and highly recommended especially after it's been a long time after the last family-oriented animated movie came out in theaters so go watch this film with your families.

Rating: 8/10

Final Verdict: "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" is an improvement from its two excellent predecessors that entertains you immensely and delivers a great deal of fun - and it has to be watched in 3D.

Reddefender

I know it sounds silly to say I want more realism from a film about four talking zoo animals, but Madagascar III was so far removed from any sense of internal logic or consistency that it was just plain stupid.

Very little about the first Madagascar falls out of line with reality. They even go so far as to explain why the animals can't talk: When the quartet is nearly apprehended at Grand Central Station and Alex (the lion) tries to reason with the crowd but his speaking comes out as roaring.

The third Madagascar got so ridiculous, I eventually tuned its attempts at making sense out like white noise. We have the animals deciding to swim halfway across the planet, a tiger who can jump through a wedding ring, the circus now being run by chimpanzees and selling out to a human audience, and a lion suddenly learning the trapeze.

None of the new plot developments are particularly additive. In one, Sasha Baron Cohen's lemur monkey falls madly in love with a big bear (which by the way, is kind of gross) and the two go to the Vatican to kiss the pope's hand and get his blessing. What?! I'm not sure where the pope stands on monkey-bear unions but at least the first and second installments had a clearly spelled out humans-animals relationship.

The movie also feels rushed. It wasn't just the actual running time of 93 minutes, but the storyline weaved its way from one plot point to another at right angles with no transition. The gang decides to go to Monte Carlo and are suddenly there one scene later. One scene after that, they're being chased out of Monte Carlo and onto the next adventure. There's a weary Russian tiger played by Bryan Cranston who warns against clichés and nearly quits the circus but is talked out of it in 30 seconds by Alex. What do you call a sudden 180 reversal like that again? Oh yes, it's a cliché.

Winotterin

Whoever said watching a movie in 3D is the same as watching it in 2D, got it all wrong. Madagascar 3 has amazing 3D effects which will really make you experience the movie in a different way. From the beginning till the end, you will get into fits of laughter and the animals will keep you entertained. The overall plot of the movie is good but what really steals the show are the new Italian circus animals and their Italian accent. I always felt that the real hero's of this smart Penguins and Marti, the Lion, is only a pseudo hero.

What I didn't like about this movie was the unrealistic villain and her super human abilities, although funny, but at some point you will feel it was too much. But I can bet you won't notice the small things with the crazy animals making you LOL through out.

My suggestion: Don't miss this one, and watch it in 3D.

Gunos

It's been four years since the last Madagascar film was released. Surprisingly, the elements of the franchise is still there and the film does not feel strangely different like in most sequels. Except, this one has a larger scale and crazier action. Well, Dreamworks Animation has gone to a new level in animation. Bringing a quicker, bigger, and more spectacular visuals to the film and make it a non-stop ride and worth it in 3D. But it's still not as compelling as any other classic animation films. The only purpose of these Madagascar films is to have fun and it truly succeeds in doing that.

It has the same old trope of the series. The gang trying to get back to New York then they suddenly bumped into new friends and they end up lingering to their situation and an old lady hates Alex the Lion. The penguins having the best gags and King Julien being crazy. It's delightful and the fans will be pleased for seeing these again. The new characters are as likable as the original characters. While everything is fun, the wonderful visuals adds the film's enjoyment. There are plenty of sequences that are meant to be seen in the big screen, either in 2D or 3D.

Some scenes are ridiculously exciting, some are awfully eye-candy. The film itself is like a spectacular show with so many wonderful colors. But it does not go beyond that. The film only wants to be big, fun, and nothing else. Just make sure you are not looking for more than mind-blowing visuals. The jokes are still pretty hilarious. You will still root for these characters. There is no need to tell how was the voice acting because all of them are predictably good.

Madagascar 3 is the most gorgeous part of the series but not quite the best. The trilogy will probably remain only as a little cult classic. We loved the humor, the characters, and their crazy antics. The movies have heart but there is a little impact to their drama. It's not something like Pixar. But these Madagascar films have their own personality and we accepted it. Talking animals escaping and creating some disaster. Slow moments with clever and sometimes slapstick gags. If you are a fan of these films then you will see something spectacular to it, but like I said, there is nothing bigger than that.

*Nameless*

Don't get me wrong...took 2 ten year olds and a 2 year old and they had a great time. They talked about the movie for ten minutes after and haven't brought it up since. This is a kids movie and it's pretty basic. As an adult you should enjoy some of the visual dazzle of the movie but the jokes are for the age group intended. The story telling is as lazy as you'd expect and the message repetitive as usual. And I challenge you to escape finding Ben Stiller not once again playing Ben Stiller. I've enjoyed many of his movies in the past but his range is Ben Stiller. So, in review, take the kids if you've drank enough coffee (I fell asleep twice), expect nothing new, be impressed with the superb animation, let the kids talk about it for a few minutes after the movie, and watch Ben Stiller play a lion who acts like Ben Stiller.

Lightbinder

A prequel to the 2008 one and BOY does it NOT change at all. This time Alex and the gang are on the run from an evil French Animal killer(who I swear is the dead ringer of Mother Gothel from Tangled down to the features and Cruella De Vil's persona)who is trying to kill Alex for her collection of animal heads that she got.So Alec and the gang head off to Europe as they stumble across a circus hideout where Alec meets a female tiger like himself(well his a Lion I know that) and well you can probably figure out the rest yourselves.

The animation is great and the charcthers are good,now I tell you one of my favourite scenes,its the part where Alec and the female tiger are going around in loops to the song Firework by Katy Perry and another was the part where Marty the Zebra was driving the car with Alec and his other CO,that was so funny.

But since this looks like the last one of the trilogy.I hope that there isn't another sequel to this movie. It was fun while it lasted and it was an OK send off to Dreamwork's Madagascar.

Felhann

"Madagascar" is one of my favorite animation movies and it's sequel was nearly on the same level. You can count both to the best animation adventures you can watch. Sadly, with "Madagascar 3" it isn't the same. For me it's a very big disappointment.

The reason why I didn't really like "Madagascar 3" is that it's just too crazy, it's just too colorful, too much unrealistic moments, too much of everything. The female enemy is nothing but awful as well. The circus scenes are wonderfully edited, but again, just too much. I can go on with this, but I don't really have time for it.

So, you can surely watch it once if you've already seen the first two films, but don't expect a masterpiece. The technical aspects are fulfilled flawlessly again, but the story is just dumb - can't say it in another way. Four out of ten points in my opinion.

MrDog

Madagascar 3 has the highest IMDb rating of the three, but it is much, MUCH poorer than either 1 or 2. Only the tiniest of tots will fail to notice how threadbare the plot is and how blatant a commercial exploitation of a reasonable franchise this is. The new characters don't add much either. Huge jumps in the storyline beggar belief and the over indulgent set pieces - however colourful - do nothing to distract us from the fact that this is vacuous nonsense. What a shame to say this, but Please end it here Dreamworks....no more mini episodes or Christmas Specials Either. Enough is enough (or rather, this one is too much already).

Ces

The "Madagascar" series may not be one of DreamWorks' best franchises, but it sure is a series that I still highly enjoy though. Sure, it may not have the emotions the first two "Shrek" films, the "Kung Fu Panda" trilogy, and the "How to Train Your Dragon" series have, but it still does have lots of zany humor, memorable characters, and in my opinion lots of charm. I'm always delighted by this series strangely enough and out of three films in the trilogy, I think "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" is the best of them. It steps up the zany humor and delivers on some new memorable characters. It's a film that really is a lot of fun.

When we last left our heroes, Alex (Ben Stiller), Marty (Chris Rock), Gloria (Jada Pickett Smith), and Melman (David Schwimmer) were in Africa while the Penguins (Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, and John DiMaggio respectively) went off to Monte Carlo. After awhile, the four get homesick for New York City and decide to get the Penguins and continue their journey home to the Central Park Zoo. Their retrieval of the penguins goes as well as you'd think it does and ends up getting the attention of Captain Chantel DuBois (Frances McDormand), the crazy leader of an animal control in Monte Carlo who is determined to get a lions head mounted on her wall. After an incident gets the remains of the plane they're traveling on destroyed, the gang then decides to hitch a ride on an circus train that has only animals including a seal lion named Stefano (Martin Short), a leopardess named Gia (Jessica Chastain), and a Siberian tiger named Vitaly (Bryan Cranston) and pretend to be circus performers so they can get their way to America. However, in order to get to America, the circus has to get the deal of an American promoter and the circus itself is not very good. Hoping to fix the circus, Alex and the others decide to help turn the circus around and get to New York while also avoiding the crazy DuBois.

The film is definitely the funniest out of the three movies and also the best written which makes sense since Noah Baumbach co-wrote the movie. He's definitely worked on some fantastic movies including "Fantastic Mr. Fox" as well as the Oscar nominated "The Squid and the Whale" and his style does seem odd for a third "Madagascar" movie, but it oddly enough works out well. The zany humor is back and better than ever and the stuff involving the circus is actually really investing. I did want to see this circus succeed and that could because the characters are one again memorable and funny. Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria still have their charm to them and seeing the latter twos relationship grow since the last movie was nice to see. I did like how insane King Julien (played again by Sacha Baron Cohen) is in this film as he falls in love with a bicycle riding bear named Sonia, but it's really the new characters that work out well. I did care about them and I can understand how much they love what they do and how the circus means to them. The passion and dreams that both Gia and Stefano have are nice to see, but it's Vitalay who is the most interesting of the bunch. He does seem very cold and heartless from the looks of it, but the film does show why he acts that way and I'll admit that I did get kind of emotional watching it. The character that steals the show though is DuBois. This is one hilarious character and Frances McDormand must've had a ball playing her due to how insane and over the top she is. Now we come to the animation which quite honestly is some of the best DreamWorks has made. There's one particular scene involving the circus that was such a sight to behold as it was filled with so much amazement and dazzle and lots and lots of color. It's scenes like that are why I adore animation. With that said though, the film isn't perfect and does contain problems. For one, the animation was clearly meant for a 3D showing. Seeing the characters sometimes get too close to the screen just looks odd in a normal showing and it's distracting. Another thing, is one scene that I won't spoil does drag a bit, but not too much to get me angry.

So, I was pleased with "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted". It had a fun story, colorful animation, and some fun characters that it's certainly enough to give a recommendation. It's not amazing like the other DreamWorks' movies, but considering it's a "Madagascar" film, I didn't expect it to be. I just expected a fun and zany film, and considering that's what I got, I'm pretty satisfied.

Error parents

Madagascar 3 : Europe 's Most Wanted is much greater than before, more does not make it a good movie, it's just cool , the first 30 minutes are good and fun , the plot is even cool, even with several problems , the characters remain good , now the penguins have more prominence , the soundtrack is good , has some Italian songs , King Julian has more prominence than the other films , I had the opportunity to watch this movie in the theater , and it was good fun, has to pass time, also the film is not even over, the villain of the film is better than the second film, more does not make it great , even more so she convinces , Madagascar 3 : Europe 's most Wanted is a good pass time for when you bored. Note 6.6

Thetalen

My vote: 6/10 (not so bad). I've just seen Madagascar 3 the month it came in cinemas. The film was all right but it wasn't too much my taste. It was funny with a lot of super actions and dancing but for me it was more for a little kid to see the movie. For me it was a little bit too childish like comedy. Madagascar is not my favorite movie, for sure. To be honest, it was fun! The pinguins and chimpanzes are still very funny! The makers of Madagascar put more life into the third one, and that is very good! Madagascar 3 has more imagination, more style and more life than the 2 first ones. They make us dream! I haven't seen it in 3D. King Julien still makes me laugh a lot! The end was so cool! The circus dancing was so fun! It was very well decorated for the film!!! Traveling around the world in a circus train is a very good idea for a story!!! Well done for it! I am almost sure that little kids will adore more Madagascar 3 than the older persons! I think (because it is a story for little children). I am fourteen and it wasn't too much my age this Madagascar! It is recommended for little children, for sure! They will find it more funny! Thank you very much for reading it! It was an asperger review.(it means that I have a different way of explaining and writing things).

Kelerius

'MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED': Two Stars (Out of Five)

The second sequel to the popular DreamWorks animated movie finds the animal characters from the first two films once again trying to make their way home to New York Central Zoo, where they originally escaped from. This time they join a traveling circus in Europe and have an evil Animal Control Captain hot on their trail. Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter and Tom McGrath all reprise their voice roles and are joined this time by Jessica Chastain, Frances McDormand, Bryan Cranston and Martin Short. The film is just more of the same and I was never a fan of the series to begin with (although I don't think I ever saw the second installment). The jokes are forced and the action is chaotic. Should please kids though.

Alex the lion (Stiller), Marty the zebra (Rock), Melman the giraffe (Schwimmer) and Gloria the hippo (Smith) are still trying to make their way home to the New York Central Zoo, which they escaped from in the original film and traveled to Madagascar (with the help of four penguins). In this film they first journey to Monte Carlo, in order to find the penguins once again. There they find trouble once again as well and have Animal Control called on them. The Captain of Animal Control (McDormand) wants nothing more than to kill Alex and relentlessly pursues him and the other animals. They join a traveling circus, as cover, and find a new family of struggling friends there. They're soon, of course, not sure if they even want to go back to the zoo in New York or not.

The film was directed by Eric Darnell, Conrad Vernon and Tom McGrath (Darnell and McGrath also co-directed and co-wrote the first two films as well). Noah Baumbach (who directed and wrote such critically acclaimed hits as 'GREENBERG' and 'THE SQUID AND THE WHALE') also co-wrote the screenplay for this. Considering all the talent involved (in acting, writing and directing) I just expect a lot more. I know the movie is made for kids, and on that level it succeeds, but kids' movies don't have to be so dumbed down and pointless. They can actually be smart, clever and have a well thought out message. This movie is just a mess. A mess that kids will enjoy but probably no one else.

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Bort

Madagascar 3 was a really exciting movie , in my opinion it was one of the best animation movies i ever saw , it was far more better than the last madagascar movies . in addition the comedy was outstanding which makes not only the children but also the adults laugh. it has every feature a normal English movie would have . it had a story , comedy , action and conclusion . good job to the director Eric Darnhill and Tom Macgrat.

This Movie was Hillariously Brilliant

People now can spend their money on a good movie which is worth watching.enjoyed every minute of this movie.its basicaly a story of few animal friends who are finding their way back to their home new york , unfrotunatly they are stuck in Africa. they make a plan to escape from their misery on their way they find circus animals which allow them to join them on a circus show if they join us . Thats a short summary on the movie best is yet to come

Wishing For a Madagascar 4

JoJosho

You know those animated films that are engaging to watch, then leave you with some kind of a warm squishy feeling inside, after which you stop to think about it and you can identify some simple truth? You're like, yeah, I don't mind sitting through it if it means spending time with my kid, and afterward there's something to talk about.

Why is the film getting praise from critics? Sure, there were several cool scenes, our familiar characters, a few more silly and not so silly ones that I guess I was supposed to care about but never really had a reason to... and they did stuff. Now I like watching good cartoons, I can't say how many times I've been sucked into Cars while it was playing in the background, but this one didn't have anything tying it together. Weak plot. Made for an amount of boredom. Wouldn't sit through it again, though wouldn't mind it being on if it weren't for something else. Now I saw it in Russian, so maybe there were some really great lines that got lost in translation, but I sort of doubt that could fix much.

The biggest thing though, is when afterward you stop to think about it... what's the solution to their problems? It's like watching Wall-e, but reversed, so the Costco addict blobs convince Wall-e that the space ship resort is the best way to live after all. They all dance, stop caring what the mirror looks like or what happens outside their box and live happily ever after.

**** plot spoiler*****

While lying and acting out of their own interests, and being wholly ignorant of the circus culture and business, the heroes go on to start prescribing how to fix their hosts and their act by... doing a half-baked job of doing complex skills, sexing things up with some special effects, and sell it for an amazing profit. Magically things work out, and they overnight develop the required skill sets needed of circus performers, the truth comes out, then they become friends anyway.

Do these sound like any stereotypes of Americans? Why do you think people hate us and think we're stupid and dangerous?

I find the use of this theme particularly irritating, and counterproductive for what our children need in America. We need our kids to understand that they need to work hard and consistently over time to acquire important skills and knowledge, that they need to start observing and learning before trying to fix the world, that you can't solve problems by just throwing money at them. The movie is reaffirming the exact opposite:

Lack of skills + Half-aced effort + Confidence + Money = Success

Kit

The story don't have connections between it own scenes and with the previous Madagascar movies. We don't see a single secondary character from the another movies (Grandma, Alex's parents, etc.) the penguins don't have fun, neither the lemurs, only a small scenes. And really? They are free in a circus and they aren't in Africa? Why they swam from Africa to Europe, but they don't swam to America? Other Madagascar was for children and adult, now is only for 3 years old kids, which only enjoy the colors and drawings.For first time in my life I slept in a movie theater at 2 pm movie! Very Boring, and with a terrible message "savages animals are only free in a circus, not in the jungle".

Simple

The animals we've gotten to know in the previous two movies continue their quest to get home to NY in this third installment of the very profitable movie franchise. This time they buy a circus in order to impress an American promoter enough to book them in NY, thus taking them home for good.

First of all, having recently watched Pixar's Brave, I am bound to say that Madagascar 3 feels inferior in almost every aspect. Whereas Pixar usually deliver a touching and well-worked screenplay, the story here is confusing and morally ambiguous. Are circus animals traveling around the world performing tricks really OK? Many feel that it's wrong, but the movie happily ignores this rather complex moral issue.

It is also obvious that the screenwriter has not forgotten or forgiven France opposing the American war efforts of the early 2000s, as the story takes a turn to Monte Carlo for no other purpose than to introduce the ridiculous French antagonist, and add to that a Freedom Fries-joke that feels incredibly dated.

To sum it all up, this movie has a pretty weak plot and its aim is pretty obvious - to milk more money from the franchise. I hope they let it end here, as I feel this is pretty much the end of the road for these movies.

Saithinin

Out of morbid curiosity I sat down and watched Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012). I had only seen the first Madagascar (2005) which I didn't like at all. The animation was awkward, the story just wasn't that interesting, the characters were annoying and the primary lessons was "don't eat your friends." This time around it seemed the makers wanted their public to gleefully swallow more absurd notions than a vegetarian lion. Hippos and giraffes can apparently fall in love; as can bears and lemurs, lions and cheetahs. Whatever floats your boat I suppose.

The plot revolves around the same four animals, Alex the lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett-Smith) and Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer). This time the film starts in Africa as they await the arrival of the penguins (animals who also left the zoo from the first movie) to take them back to the zoo.

Apparently in the movie I didn't see Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008), the penguins had created a crude aircraft that could fly to Monte Carlo but didn't bring the main characters for some unknown reason. Fearing they were abandoned, the four, along with their lemur compatriots, make their arduous journey to Monte Carlo, which meant they would have had to walk through the thick jungles of central Africa then trek across the world's largest desert, then swim the width of the Mediterranean. But hey why focus on that when with one screen dissolve they're there! Convenient.

The foursome manage to sneak into a Monte Carlo casino where the penguins and their monkey friends are winning it big. Things get hairy. The fuzz is called and we are introduced to our main villain Captain DuBois (Frances McDormand) a psychotic, seemingly unstoppable animal control agent. From there the movie just throws everything including the kitchen sink at you in fast procession. A nuclear reactor, a flying machine, an Edith Piaf song that can cure broken bones, a flying circus with a new glut of characters is introduced Jesus movie! Can't you slow down enough to explain anything? Now don't be thinking I have a lack of imagination here because I don't personally believe a hippo can fit through an air-duct. All I'm saying is if you want to violate the laws of physics that much you should keep it consistent. Why don't the animals simply swim to New York? Why don't they use the nuclear reactor they just happen to have to go back in time before they ever left? Why not break into the CERN Hadron collider in Geneva and make their particle mass resemble that of an electron then travel to New York near the speed of light? They're in the neighborhood after all.

In conclusion, just don't waste your time with Europe's Most Wanted. If you have kids and care about their future, don't expose them to this dreck. If you do, you might as well get used to raising a child who thinks all complex problems can be solved by acrobatics and a Katy Perry song.

http://www.theyservepopcorninhell.blogspot.com

Qwne

This has to be the hardest movie to rate as either great or terrible. The good parts are so good indeed that you can almost forgive the bad, but not quite.

Let's start with the good. A truly compelling take on an absolutely stale idea: Running away, or in this case becoming a circus. It totally mimics that old, old saying: You can't go home again. Here the twist is that none of the characters really gives a damn about the circus and are using it to get this: Go back and be another kind of performers, although using a lot less skill.

Another positive: Ben Stiller really has made Alex the Lion his own. He totally nails it every time. Although, a lot of it is based on parts he has played before, he makes it so likable

Sorry to say that every single one of the other main cast are totally wasted. Somehow, they are totally written off as individuals in this one. Chris Rock's has only one scene to shine, David Schwimmer gets nothing and Jada Smith hardly has any screen time. They all get the same recycled material that may have worked 2 other times but totally falls on its face here.

What does get a lot of attention are the new characters and some of them impressed. Bryan Cranston does a marvelous job as the tiger with the wounded ego and burned coat and Frances McDormand is of course amazing as the French Gendarme. But sorry to say, the action sequences with her are just plain ridiculous. Like the T2 in Terminator 2 only with less emotions.

Of course, the animation is top notch all the way through and that's why it is so sad that the thing is so average anyway. Also, there are way too much emphasis on making the whole thing look as cool as possible to please teens and tweens. Also, the music numbers are poorly chosen.

Inth

"Poor animals. Now, you deal with ME!" Capitaine Chantel DuBois (voice of Frances McDormand)

Although I miss Fantastic Mr. Fox as much as any contemporary animal fable, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted is a lees cerebral but more athletic entry into my canon of animations that satisfy both children and adults. Our heroes, led by the charismatic lion Alex (Ben Stiller), are determined to go back to New York by way of a traveling European circus.

If you judge by the quote at the beginning of this essay, you'll note that even the villain, Ciaptaine DuBois, is fun, albeit French, a culture open for satire along with Italy and other vulnerable targets. In fact, DuBois' pursuit of the animals over Europe is a delightful mash-up of goofiness and wit. When she sings Edith Piaf's "Non, je ne regrette rien," I confirmed my nostalgic commitment to this animation and acknowledged the brilliance that would integrate that legendary lament.

Although this animation is written by Fantastic Mr. Fox's Noah Baumbach, much more slapstick and far faster segments occur than in Fox, making it a lesser production but far more attractive to younger audiences. Even the 3-D shamelessly throws debris at the screen. Attractive to all audiences is a major theme of looking ahead to expanding one's talents and seeing home as another springboard for growth rather than a sedate refuge.

Unbelievably bad story line. Wild animals finally free in Africa want to return to their New York cages and dream of Fifth Avenue. But first they swim across to Monaco(!) to pick up their gambling friends. Now from here, why they don't keep just swimming till New York is a mystery, after all they have already managed the Mediterranean.

On the way they meet Circus animals, who love to be caged and trained to do unnatural things. At this point, I stopped watching it, I could bear no more...

What is this movie going to teach an average American kid about animals? Who ever even came with a brain dead story like this? Save your time and do something better instead...

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