A Review of DreamWorks SKG

Madagascar

by Debra Ross

May 27, 2005
It's goofy. It's not particularly profound. For those of us who value thematic consistency, it has a slightly unsatisfying ending. But it's delightful, and as visually appealing a kids' movie as befits technology's best, DreamWorks SKG (who also made the Shrek movies, Antz, Chicken Run, and Shark Tale). For those of us who long to give our kids an exciting and memorable theater experience without exposing them to violence or inappropriate adult references, it's just about perfect. It opens today: Click here for theaters and times in the greater Rochester area.

The plot of Madagascar is as simple as it is implausible: For four animal friends at Central Park Zoo in New York City, life has hitherto been easy: Alex the lion (Ben Stiller) gets his daily opportunities to perform in front of thousands of fans and his nightly opportunity to savor his filet mignon; Melman, the hypochondriac giraffe played by perfectly typecast actor David Schwimmer, can access his team of medical specialists; Gloria, the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), the no-nonsense mother figure and caretaker of the group, can get her nails done; and Marty the zebra (Chris Rock) -- well, Marty has the luxury of reaching his 10th birthday in the midst of a full-blown mid-life crisis.

Marty, deciding there must be "something more," dreams of being in "The Wild"--which, he has heard, is in Connecticut. In a bid for temporary freedom, Marty heads downtown to catch the Metro North train, and his zoo friends, in horror, follow him to head off what they're sure is disaster. The humans misunderstand, of course, and surround the friends in Grand Central Station; they decide to give the animals "what they really want" and put them on a ship back to Africa. Bound for Kenya, instead they wind up on the island of Madagascar, off the southeast coast of Africa. And hilarity, of course, ensues, especially when they run into their first wild animals, a group of lemurs whose main concern is having fun. King Julian, a ringtailed lemur played brilliantly by Sacha Baden Cohen with a very believable Indian accent, will probably be the most memorable character for the kids, especially as he's the singer of the film's track "I Like To Move It". Adults will likely see the penguins as the breakaway stars of the show.

Reviewing this kind of movie as a parent of younger kids (ages 4 and 5) is a fascinating enterprise because I see it so differently depending on whether it's through their eyes or through my critic's eyes.

What is Madagascar about? It's not really about anything in particular, unlike some of DreamWorks' other productions (1998's Antz comes to mind). The film had a lot of potential, and with just a little tweaking, it could have been about many different things: It could have been about achievement: In a very mild way, the characters bring a bit of civilization to their new environment; emphasizing that would have made us introspect about what we're capable of with a little intelligence and creativity, even in extreme circumstances. It could have been about self-control. It could have been about how trying new things can lead you to realizations about yourself and the world. And I guess, if you squint your eyes and think real hard, you can take these little hints and make them into some life lessons that you can discuss with your kids.

On the other hand, some of the things the movie doesn't have are bad language (unless you object to the word "butt" used a few times), adult situations (not even romance), or sexual humor (I think one critic said there was, but if so it was too subtle for me). Ok, there were one or two potty jokes, and one was even prominent--but, so help me, even I found that one funny because it was a surprising conflation of erudition and crudity. As a rule, my girls are pretty much confined to the G movies, and not even all of them at that, yet I can't wait to bring them to see Madagascar now that it's officially open. In fact, I left the movie wondering why it is rated PG, but I'm guessing the producers decided that a G rating would restrict their potential audience. (And maybe you can't say "butt" in a G movie.)

When I take off my critic's hat and substitute my 4-year-old's rose-colored sunglasses, I see Madagascar very differently. I see an engaging movie about friendship, which pokes fun at inappropriate fear and lack of ambition. There was nothing scary in it (and believe me, I gave birth to one of the world's most sensitive barometers when it comes to scary movies, so I'm always on the alert for that), just the appropriate amount of tension to drive the plot along. (Update May 28: The kids have seen the movie and loved it, but Ella claims to have been scared when the foozas are stalking Marty near the end of the movie, about 45 seconds worth.) And the main track, "I Like To Move It", is not only catchy from a kids' perspective (I noticed several kids in the screening singing it on the way out), but marvelous from a parent's perspective. Just imagine: You see your kindergartener sitting on her bed, gazing into space, one sock half on, while everyone else is waiting in the car. (Does this happen to anyone else?) Now you have the ultimate weapon: You break out into a refrain of "You got to move it move it!" and she smiles, comes back to earth, and stops doing the world's best imitation of a Three-Toed Sloth.

Other reviewers have said that Madagascar is about returning to the wild, but I disagree--insofar as the film has any commentary at all, it's a positive commentary about the benefits of civilization, without being too heavy-handed about it. If your kids don't know that animals eat other animals, you'll want to educate them about that in advance--because even though it's all done with humor, there will be no escaping that conclusion even for the youngest viewer. The dilemma of Alex, the lion, who must face his "true nature" as a meat eater, makes this particularly clear. (This plot point is, unfortunately, the weakest part of the movie. As one reviewer says, "The cop-out solution arrived at by writers Mark Burton and Billy Frolick simply values one kind of animal over another. Suffice it to say one shouldn't watch this movie back-to-back with 'Finding Nemo.'")

Speaking of education, one thing I always try to do as a parent is to make connections for my kids between different things they experience and learn in their lives. Before we see Madagascar together, we'll get down our globe and trace the route from New York to Madagascar. And shortly after seeing the film, we'll visit the Seneca Park Zoo. We'll see the lemurs and geckos, and other animals from Madagascar that weren't in the movie but are there at the Zoo: Madagascar hissing cockroaches, radiated tortoises, and snakes.

"Kids often ask whether animals that are at the Zoo would be better off back in the wild," said Shauntá Collier-Santos, Seneca Park Zoo's marketing director, who also attended the screening. "And indeed, with some animals, our goal is just that. But with many others, where all they know is the zoo, if that should ever happen, it would be disaster. Madagascar is a great and fun portrayal of what might go on in an animal's mind if it were brought back to The Wild after living in a zoo. And," she continued, "It's also interesting to imagine what might go on in a wild animal's mind if it were confronted with a creature that had been raised in a zoo. Madagascar raises all of those possibilities in a way that kids can appreciate."

It's impossible to discuss a DreamWorks film without mentioning the animation and the scenery. For those of you who are familiar with New York city, you'll be amazed at the beautiful rendering of the buildings, the Park, and Grand Central Station. The beach and jungles of Madagascar are almost tangible in their vividness. And I don't know how they are able to do this, but Marty not only sounds like Chris Rock, he looks like him too. (Hard to describe, but you'll see what I mean.) No one could be unimpressed with the achievement of DreamWorks' animation team.

As a parent, there are some events you attend and activities you initiate with your kids that are far more for their sake than yours. (And if you're like us, you trade these like points with your spouse: Ok, I'll be in charge of making brownies for the class bake sale if you be the one on the carousel at Strong Museum this week. Deal?) But Madagascar is for everyone in your family, and no one, not even your husband, will groan at the prospect of going. And, especially if you see who can count the most movie references, all of you will be very entertained.

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©2005, Debra Ross
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