Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Rating: B+

Most of the time, sequels are not as good at the original movie. Sometimes, in a rare instance, the second movie is actually better. Such is the case with The Dark Knight, Empire Strikes Back, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, and Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, and Madagascar 2. I laughed through most of this movie. All of the characters are back from the first adventure. Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, Julian, and all the penguins leave Madagascar in an attempt to make it back to New York. They have left the arrangements up to the penguins, so needless to say, they don't make it very far. The plane crash lands in Africa, and our heroes have to get in touch with their more "natural" sides. The penguins are hilarious. When they are on the screen, you will not stop laughing. There are some parts with Marty that drag and could have been left out, but the rest of the film is pretty well paced. There is a little too much of the groin-kicking old lady from the first one. The late Bernie Mac, Alec Baldwin, and wil.i.am join the cast this time around and are all wonderful. wil.i.am is fantastic as Moto Moto, the blubberly fascinated hippo. He likes em big, he likes em chunky. Being in Africa, dealing with lions, there will be comparisons to the Lion King, but don't you believe it. The movie has heart, and is an enjoyable kid and well as adult movie. You need to see the first one first if you haven't already to really get the full enjoyment out of Madagascar 2.