Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is the sequel to Ben Stiller's 2005 film, Madagascar. The film continues the saga of Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe, and Gloria the hippo, who are still trapped on the island of Madagascar. The film begins with a flashback to Alex's childhood, when he is still a baby on the continent of Africa, living happily with his mother and father, who are leaders of the lions. Alex is tricked into leaving the reserve, and is trapped by a poacher and sent to New York. The rest of the film takes place in present day. Alex and his friends are still trapped on Madagascar, but have made a plane and, with the penguins at the helm, are attempting to leave the island. King Julien, the lemur, has also accompanied them. When the plane crash lands in Africa, the animals discover others exactly like themselves and fit in perfectly, except for Alex, who is unused to the violent life of a lion. Tricked by another lion, Alex accidentally gets himself and his mother and father excommunicated from the pride, but when a lost group of humans cut off their water supply, Alex and his friends rise to the occasion and save all the animals.
This movie is hilarious! The flashback about Alex's childhood is shockingly violent and Lion King-esque, but the rest of the movie is nonstop hilarity. From the scene where Alex and his friends are leaving, to the scene where all the animals are dancing in the very end, there is no pause in the humor. The humor was more deadpan and dry, for example when Melman asks what the giraffes do without a doctor when they get sick and the giraffes reply, "Well, we go to the dying holes, and die," but it is impossible to keep from laughing. Even the main conflict in the movie is funny! Most of the humor in this movie will be lost on little kids, such as the union scene, but it isn't inappropriate. The animals are still really cute, and the plot is interesting. An added bonus: Bernie Mac, who died this summer, did the voice of Alex's father.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is even better than the first Madagascar and could be one of Ben Stiller's greatest works.