Madagascar 3

The story picks up right where it left off in the second one. Marty, Alex, Gloria and Melman are in Africa and decide to follow the penguins to Monte Carlo and try to get back home to New York. They soon find out that Monaco Animal control is after them and they are chased across Europe hiding out in a traveling circus as their cover. But in order to get the circus to New York, they need to get the other animals in the circus to step up their game to impress the American promoter.

Cast

Ben Stiller as Alex
Chris Rock as Marty
David Schwimmer as Melman
Jada Pinkett Smith as Gloria
Sacha Baron Cohen as King Julien XIII
Tom McGrath as Skipper and First Policeman
Chris Miller as Kowalski
Christopher Knights as Private
John DiMaggio as Rico
Bryan Cranston as Vitaly
Martin Short as Stefano
Jessica Chastain as Gia the jaguar
Cedric the Entertainer as Maurice
Andy Richter as Mort
Paz Vega as the Andalusian Triplets
Frances McDormand as Captain Chantel DuBois, the leader of the Animal Control

Who will like this movie

All the kids (some of which may be a little older now) who were fans of the first two will surely like this one as well. If you're looking for a first 3D movie to bring your child too, this is an excellent choice. Young viewers will be captivated by the 3D and unbelievable amount of colors literally flying at them. There are some funny moments geared toward the adults as well, however, not as many as in the previous two Madagascar movies.

Phantom Thoughts

This is a 3D movie. And I say that not to state the obvious, but to point out the fact that this was made to be 3D and unlike most other movies in this format, watching it on a regular screen or when it comes out on DVD without the glasses is really gonna take away from the movie.  When you see all the effects they put in to accentuate the 3D-ness, it really goes out of its way to make the most of it.

The main thing about watching the movie is the amount of characters in it. Alex is the "star" if you will, but the other three  "main" characters kinda get lost in the story as we still have the monkeys, lemurs and penguins which are now joined by all the circus animals including Vitaly the Russian tiger voiced brilliantly by Bryan Cranston, Martin Short as Stefano the preforming (and kinda stupid, but funny) sea lion and a love interest for Alex, Gia the jaguar.

I really don't have a whole lot more to say about this one. It's a good, fun movie that the kids will really like and that the parents won't be bored to sit through. It's worth going and seeing in the movie theater as long as you spend the extra money for 3D. In this case, the extra money is absolutely worth it.

Until next time, see you in the center seat.