Review of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) by Trevor W — 17 Aug 2013

8.5 out of 10 - brilliant. I don't recall why we missed it at the cinema. Maybe it is because whilst I certainly found the first two affable enough, I maybe didn't find the notion of seeing a third instalment enough of a draw.

Anyway, I was on a plane and I've caught up. I finally understand why this did so well compared to the others - it is a cut above the first two. It's dialogue and slapstick are really funny, it is action-packed and it is constantly the right kind of stupid! The new characters are likeable enough so I can forgive the stereotypical accents.

Humanising animals always works but the 'animalising' of the French lady nemesis is one of the cleverest animated personas I've seen since the brilliant horse that behaves like a dog in Tangled.

This movie was almost as unexpectedly impressive as the brilliant Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - but not quite. I was expecting standard second sequel diminishing returns - this more than exceeded expectations, what with Circus / Afro and King Julien's new "love interest" making Shrek's Donkey and Dragon seem comparatively tame.

Addendum: My wife watched this on our return flight and I was so jealous of her laughing I had to ask her to pause and we synchronised our in-flight movies. I enjoyed it just as much second time and if anything found it even funnier.