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Posted May 30, 2012 by Earl Maghirang in Movies/TV
 
 

MADAGASCAR 3: Europe’s Most Wanted”- Old Tricks, New Friends

After three films and three continents, the Madagascar Zoosters still find a way to have the most fun and go on the wildest adventures imaginable. Being chased across Europe and hiding in the circus presents a fresh new way to see characters audiences already love. The voice talent is happy to share their own excitement for the return of their animal counterparts.

Not surprisingly, Chris Rock enjoys the humor of the series: “Audiences respond to the comedy. They’re really into the camaraderie of the characters and they love new characters that are introduced. I remember in the last one, my kids loved Will.i.Am’s character, a hippo named Moto Moto. ‘Madagascar’ has not let you down. It’s a brand you can count on. It’s like McDonalds, like you know? You got a Fish Filet — you know Fish Filet is going to be pretty decent. And the Fish Filet you get in Brooklyn is the same Fish Filet you’re going to get in Kentucky. You can count on it. And that’s ‘Madagascar.’ It’s like a Fish Filet. Number 12 in most cities.”

Jada Pinkett Smith says, “The thing that I love about all the ‘Madagascar’ movies is that they’re fun but they also have a lot of heart. They always deal with really simple, central issues: relationships and how one relates to oneself and to the world, which is relatable across the board, whether you’re an adult or a child.”

Ben Stiller agrees: “People like the friendships and the relationships that the characters have and that they are always there for each other. There’s an innocence about these characters, where they go through life without quite knowing how to deal with the real world. They’re in the process of learning — and they are doing it together. That’s a big part of it. And of course, the animation is great — it has that sort of retro Tex Avery vibe. It just feels very distinctive.”

Conrad Vernon believes that it’s the Zoosters’ resourcefulness that is appealing: “They’ve always been adept at getting out of sticky situations to great comic effect, but never more so than in this film, where their lives are in danger and they’re forced to hide with the circus. And reinvent the circus they do. Though the filmmakers found enjoyment in creating scenarios that had the Zoosters interacting with the human world, -Darnell says, “There’s plenty of humor in the idea of an all-animal circus, which is what Alex has in mind.”

What takes it to a whole different level is how they make the best of their situation, not only making new friends and discovering new talents but, ultimately, using their circumstances to get them home. That’s resourcefulness if I ever saw it. They learn some things about themselves, too — that it’s not necessarily a place that makes life worth living, but rather it’s the people in their lives that make it worth living.”

DreamWorks Animation SKG Presents “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,” a PDI/DreamWorks Production featuring the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric The Entertainer, Andy Richter, Frances McDormand, Jessica Chastain, Bryan Cranston and Martin Short. The film is directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath,

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” is distributed by United International Pictures thru Solar Entertainment Corporation. Showing at your favorite theaters on June 6.


Earl Maghirang