Madagascar 2: Escape To Africa

Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller) , Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock) , Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) , Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) and even King Julian (Sacha Baron Cohan) is back in Madagascar 2: Escape to the Africa.

In Madagascar 2, Alex and his friends, joined by Julian and his sidekick (Cedric The Entertainer) are trying to get back to New York, when their plane crashes in the middle of Africa and they meet species of their own kind for the very first time, learning there is life outside the Central Park Zoo.

In their African encounter, Alex runs into his long lost parents voiced by Sherri Shepherd and the late Bernie Mac. Alex is tested on his place in the pride by not only his father but his father's nemesis Macunga voiced by Alec Baldwin.

Overall, I liked this movie. I read alot of reviews, about the first movie, saying that it wasn't as entertaining as Shrek or Finding Nemo.

I disagree, I found the first movie and this movie highly entertaining. The first Madagascar was a smash compared to animated bombs like Open Season and Barnyard.

I feel that this movie was better than the original, a good example the additions of Baldwin, Mac and Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas to the cast.

I, have always been a fan of Bernie Mac, and it was great to see his comedic genius at work one last time, in Soul Men with Samuel L. Jackson and as Ben Stiller's father in Madagascar 2.

The one downside, I could say about the movie, was that the story seemed to slow down at certain points, but it picked up through the hilarity provided by each of the main players in the film.

Personally, I loved the scene spoofing the original "Twilight Zone" movie, where William Shatner loses his mind seeing a gremlin aboard the plane he was flying on, in Madagascar, Alex played the role of Shatner and the little annoying squirrel Mort (voiced by Andy Richter) plays the gremlin.

The animation was great, and I just want to go on record and saying the Penguins are probably the most genius characters, I've seen in an animated movie.

As good as this movie was, I wouldn't rank it among the top animated movies of the year like Kung Fu Panda or Wall-E. But for an animated sequel, this movie was way better than Ice Age: The Meltdown.

You've read my review, now check out these reviews from three pairs of local critics

Next time on the Reel Revue, my reviews for Soul Men starring Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac and Role Models starring Sean William Scott and Paul Rudd, soon to be followed by movie review for the new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.

1. Justin Lisunbee and Warren Carle.

2. Christopher Stearns and Cody Alverado.

3. Matthew and Allison Nicora.