Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

"What're you doing? Zebras can't drive, only penguins and people can drive!"

The penguins and chimps left for a vacation in Monte Carlo.  When they do not return, Alex (Stiller) the lion, Marty (Rock) the zebra, Melman (Schwimmer) the giraffe, and Gloria (Pinkett Smith) set out to find them and finally return to their beloved Central Park Zoo.  But things in Monte Carlo do not go as planned, and they go on the run from France's Animal Control, led by Captain Chantel DuBois (McDormand).

To escape Animal Control they hop aboard a train of circus animals, led by Russian tiger Vitaly (Cranston), Gia (Chastain) the jaguar, and optimistic seal Stefano (Short).  To get back to New York, they claim to be circus animals as well, and join the act.

I enjoy the Madagascar films and watch them whenever they are on TV.  I don't tend to seek them out, but if they are there, I'll watch.  So I didn't see a huge need for a 3rd Madagascar film... and then I saw the trailer.  I fell in love with the infectious "Circus Afro" song, which you cannot get out of your head.  It's silly and verges on annoying, but you can't help but feel something towards it.

Once again Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith deliver solid performances and exude chemistry.  You can tell they are having a blast!  Sacha Baron Cohen is wonderfully over the top, but not overused.  The new animal characters are interesting and fit well into the story.  The human characters are obnoxious, but they tend to be in the Madagascar film series.  Frances McDormand is a talented actress, but her character is too much.  The only other character issue is the lack of the penguins.  They get some great lines and moments as usual, but they are not a focus of the film, although they do have a TV show "Penguins of Madagascar" on Nickelodeon.

A fun, funny film that the whole family will love... especially if you already love the other 2 Madagascar films.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) 93 minutes
Director: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Conrad Vernon
Starring: Ben Stiller as Alex
Chris Rock as Marty
David Schwimmer as Melman
Jada Pinkett Smith as Gloria
Sacha Baron Cohen as King Julien
Cedric the Entertainer as Maurice
Andy Richter as Mort
Tom McGrath as Skipper
Frances McDormand as Captain Chantel DuBois
Jessica Chastain as Gia
Bryan Cranston as Vitaly
Martin Short as Stefano