Wednesday, 19 December 2012

Madagascar 3: Europes Most Wanted (2012) - Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath and Conrad Vernon


Synopsis:
The gang try their best to get home by touring their way back to New York with a circus. However, a terminator-esque animal control officer is always right on their tails.




Madagascar 3 does incredibly well here which is surprising considering a bit of lackluster start. In the beginning the pace of the film moves far too quickly. In earlier installments it was a big deal when the mismatched band of zoo animals were taken from their home and ended up somewhere else, obviously Madagascar in the first and then Africa in the second. This time around their plane crashes and they simply decide to go to Europe to get the penguins to help them get back to New York… then BAM, they’ve swam there… in one cut. Such a strange choice of pace thoroughly scales down the production and it doesn’t feel firmly routed to the ground as the previous films had done.

Regardless, it seems that Madagascar 3 has gone for a very different feel. Obviously it was always cartoony in terms of style but this time the humour seems to have gone to another level. Although the gags aren’t particularly funny they're carried instead with impeccable animation. The movements are crafted flawlessly and the way the characters act and react to things are timed to perfection, it's almost a masterclass of how to make slapstick funny. If they’re going to try and up the anti regarding the bizarre and over the top, what better way then through the animation on display here.

Returning to the issue of pace however, thankfully the speedy option was ditched and something a lot slower and meaningful took place in the latter half of the film. Had it have kept that ludicrous speed it would have been hard to sympathise with characters that were this wacky. With the introduction of a fleet of interesting and new characters with their own problems and heartaches combined with our heroes there is plenty of depth added to the film and nothing is lost. Captain Chantel DuBois, a Monaco based Animal Control Officer, is without a doubt the gem of the film. Her relentless and merciless pursuit of the animals makes her both a terrifying and hilarious foe as she Terminators her way across the continent searching for the ultimate prize. All these elements hold the film together and potentially make it the best Madagascar yet.


Overview:
Considering the poor start the rest of film pulls everything together; making it a worthwhile and memorable movie. It’s new level of outrageous humour and action sequences actually help instead of hinder and I'd highly recommended it for all ages. 


Rating:


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