07. Oktober: Madagascar (OV)

Welcome to Madagascar!

At Central Park Zoo, Marty the zebra spends his tenth birthday gazing beyond the fence, dreaming of real savannah skies. A midnight bid for freedom sends his friends charging after him. Alex, a spotlight-loving lion; Melman, a worry-prone giraffe and Gloria, a take-charge hippo. One bungled rescue later, the quartet is boxed up for transfer and, after a string of mishaps, washes ashore on the beaches of Madagascar. Far from keepers, schedules, and steak dinners, these city slickers must figure out how to survive in the wild—and what “wild” even means. As they clash with curious lemurs, test their friendship, and confront instincts they’ve never had to face, the group discovers that independence isn’t as simple as slipping a lock.

Madagascar is great good fun, not only because the filmmakers have enlisted some wonderful voice talent but also because the visuals truly are marvelous. - Ann Hornaday (rottentomatoes.com)