Great threequel

The globe-trotting crew from New York hit the big-screen once again with another movie to add to the lesser of evil children’s franchises, Madagascar.

Rarely do you ever find a sequel, let alone a threequel, which is actually better and more entertaining than the original. Yes, the first film was funny and delightful and the second was, well, less so, but Madagascar 3 definitely deserves its top spot at the box office.

The opening scene of the film, which seems like an alternative ending to the previous movie, has the penguins and chimps taking off to Monte Carlo, leaving behind the four protagonists Alex (Stiller) the cowardly lion, the effusive zebra Marty (Rock), the diva hippo Gloria (Pinkett Smith) and the neurotic giraffe Melman (David Schwimmer).

Attempting to make their way back to the Central Park Zoo in New York City from Africa, a story that has taken them three different billion-dollar-grossing films to tell, they embark on a journey for Monaco, the Swiss Alps, Rome, London and finally New York.

Along the way a ruthless animal control officer, captain Chantel DuBois, tracks the team’s every move in an attempt to hang Alex’s head as a mural on her wall. To escape from her evil plan, they join a travelling circus and must convince the new performing troupe that they themselves are ‘circus folk’.

Vitaly, the gruff Russian tiger, Gia, the Italian jaguar, Sonya, the bear, and Stefano, a talkative Italian sea lion, are just some of the new characters that are part of the disastrous circus act. The original foursome must inspire these tired and accident-prone performers to take on a new approach, as the show is the only way to get back home.

What drew me to the theatre, other than beating Men in Black III at the box office, was the addition of Vitaly, voiced by Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston. Not only does he give the story the roughness it needed to get rid of its sugary image, alongside a captivating voice this new arrival exudes a depth of character. Without revealing too much, Vitaly has a colourful past involving olive oil and a flaming hoop trick.

In addition, the infamous penguins proved that they have rightfully earned a spot on Nickelodeon with their own television series, offering moments of humour and possibly being one of the best things to come out of the franchise.

However, as far as villains go, Dubois failed to get any laughs from me and I found her humour predictable and her script dull, just as the delivery was.

I may be far from the target demographic that Madagascar 3, I was still as stimulated as the kids were in the cinema. Not only did the film soar in visuals, giving beautiful city backdrops, alongside a mostly-witty script the writers also successfully threw in some adult humour for the parents dragged along into the theatre.

Although I am a fan and the latest offering has definitely shown to be a success, I really do hope that the extra speed, hallucinogenic visuals and the exaggerated final scene in Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, is a way of saying goodbye to these beloved films.

Retire at the (big) top!
*Showing in Seef II, Al Jazeera Cineplex, Saar Cineplex and Cineco