Kim Gentes

Over the years, we have enjoyed family movie after movie in which animation experts have amazed us with visuals that rivet the edge of expectations, and dialog that engages young and old alike. The Lion King, Toy Story (and the sequel), Bugs Life, The Emporers New Groove, Shrek (and 2, too), Chicken Run, Find Nemo and the Incredibles are the highlights of a list of animation films that have took aim at its duel composition audience of children and their parents. Creating stimulating visuals that amaze and captivate the children, along with slapstick and catch-word humor for the kids, Disney, Pixar & Dreamworks have found a way to make the children laugh. All the while, another layer of dialog and action (through puns and nuance) began to immerse the parents with funny sitcom-esque humor. This has been done successfully so many times now (siting my list of movies above as proof), the expectation of the families going to heavy-hyped animated films today is very high. Enter "Madagascar".

This new feature length cartoon by Dreamworks is just that, a cartoon. Intentionally flattening the visuals for a more "cartoon" look, the film is not as stunning as other 3D wonders like Shrek, Finding Nemo or even Toy Story, and aims at a retro feel to comfort parents with the subtle change back to a more 2D world. The problem is, it didn't work. Not because of the visual change, but because the film not only acquired the "cartoon" look, its writing also harkened back to one-level dialog and action. Even this would have worked, if the directors and writers knew which audience they were targeting, but as the movie rolls on, its apparant they don't.

Some scenes are pure eye candy, with lots of hitting and falling down, laughing and child-like chuckling. It is fun, but clearly meant for the kids. The next scene is completely adult level dialog with the little ones in the theatre looking like they are listening to a lecture on quantum physics. And the jaunt continues through the entire film. Really in no part of the film does the writing manage to speak to both the kids and children at the same time. And this is dissappointing, because the story is actually quite good. I went to this movie with my kids and they clearly liked the slapstick and catch-phrase humor. But with just days later, the usual mimicking of key scenes, and trailer phrases are all but gone from their memories. They liked the moment, but weren't rivetted by it, which is unusual for a top hyped animation film in a summer.

With equal ambivalence, my wife and I enjoyed the film, but were not sad to see it end. In the end, this film needed better writing to be a blockbuster kids/family movie. It failed to grab and hold our attention with an engaging story (such as and epic like Lion King). It failed to amuse much longer than a few seconds. The visuals while a nice reprieve to simpler dimensions, didn't hold the film. And the music was pretty much non existant save a single song of humor by the forest of leaping lemurs on the namesake island of the film, Madagascar.

While no one in your family will hate you for going to this movie, none of you will remember much of it in a week either. While still the best children/family film yet to release this summer, that is not saying much since this is in a category with not much other attractions coming this season. My advice- wait for DVD or rental on this one. If you are having a simply boring Saturday and want to go to a movie, be sure to go to the matinee showing, so at least you will save a little on the entry fees. I am sure I will be hated by many for dissing a good kids animation film, but this flick is simply mediocre- nothing more, nothing less.