Not a bad movie but…

Madagascar; 1:20; PG, for mild language, crude humor, and some thematic elements; Grade: C

Ten or 15 years ago, Madagascar might’ve passed an enjoyable, lively animated feature. Thanks to Pixar Studios (The Incredibles, Finding Nemo), we now know that so much more is possible with this genre, and anything that falls short just won’t do. Madagascar isn’t a bad movie, mind you, but that’s the best compliment I can think of and that’s really not a great compliment.

Madagascar has a few laughs sprinkled throughout, so at least the grownups in the audience won’t be terribly bored. What’s missing is any emotional connection with the characters, and there aren’t enough good laughs to recommend this movie on humor alone.

Sticking with the latest trend, Madagascar is overloaded with big name voice talent. Ben Stiller is Alex the Lion, king of the Central Park Zoo. His best friend, Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), dreams of running free through grass fields in the wild. When Marty busts out of the zoo to head to Connecticut, Alex enlists the help of their friends, Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer), to track Marty down and bring him back home. Not surprisingly, the human residents of Manhattan are totally freaked out by the zoo animals running through their city, so Marty gets his wish—he and his friends are packed up and shipped off to the wild.

I like the premise, and think the right hands could’ve turned it into a great adventure. Madagascar, however, has very little driving it forward, and is nothing more than a series of slapstick sight gags, some of which work very well, many of which don’t. Things finally get interesting when Alex starts to revert to his natural instincts, but unfortunately this part of the movie only lasts a few minutes.

The funniest moments in Madagascar come from a witty pair of chimpanzees and a group of militaristic penguins. Just what does it say about a movie when the most memorable characters are onscreen for only about five minutes?

The ten-and-under crowd should have a blast with Madagascar. Or, at least it sounded like they were at the advanced screening I saw it in. Anyone 12 and up, though, might find themselves a little bored.