1366. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)

Stariing: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer

Director: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath

Running Time: 90 mins

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is an American film and the sequel to Madagascar. After setting off from the island on a makeshift aeroplane, the animals crash land on the pridelands of Africa, where Alex finds his family heritage.

I loved the first Madagascar. It may have been a little short on story, but it’s one of the funniest animated comedies I’ve ever seen. And its sequel, matches up to the original pretty well. Of course, it may be a little repetitive, and still with a weak plot, but Escape 2 Africa retains the manic energy of the first film with a huge amount of great characters and comedy, making it a real joy to watch.

So, that’s what I’ll start with, the comedy. The first Madagascar’s zany energy was so effective at making a hugely entertaining watch, and I’m so glad that it was carried through into the sequel. Yes, there are a few jokes that are exactly the same, and as such don’t have the same pay-off as first time round, but with another collection of great voice performances from fantastic comedic actors, there are always laughs to be had from start to finish here.

When it comes to the story, it’s definitely not as good as the comedy, as was the case with the first film, but it does actually show some improvement over the original. The majority of the entertainment factor here comes from the crazy, fast-paced humour, but there are some moments where Alex’s reunion with his family in Africa which provide a degree of interest.

As far as animated comedy sequels go, Escape 2 Africa is a pretty good one. It’s by no means funnier than the first film, and its story isn’t the greatest improvement save for a few moments, but overall, it’s a simple, enjoyable movie, and that’s why I’m giving it a 7.7.