The zany animals of Madagascar are at it again, in Madagascar 3 Europe’s Most Wanted 3D.
“By stepping up its game, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted manages to be entirely compelling as a 3D spectacle, consistently filling the 
screen with a dazzling array of colors and forms and objects and animals, above all, animals who are under no obligation to obey the laws of gravity or the logic of common sense or buckle under the weight of expectations that’s been laid upon other new releases this summer.” -Peter Martin, twitchfilm.com.
At its narrative core, Madagascar 3 is routine: Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer), and Gloria the Hippopotamus (Jada Pinkett Smith) have been stranded in Africa for years, but yearn to return to their home at New York City’s Central Park Zoo. Through a magical flying machine and the combined mechanical genius of chimpanzees and business savvy of penguins, the gang gets as far as Monte Carlo, where they incur the wrath of animal control Captain Chantel DuBois (Frances McDormand), who is determined to capture them for her personal collection.
They meet up with a down-on-its-luck traveling circus, led by Vitaly the Siberian Tiger (Bryan Cranston), Gia the Jaguar (Jessica Chastain), and Stefano the Sea Lion (Martin Short), which they end up buying — oh those smart penguins! — and revitalizing, all in hopes of passing an audition in London that will return them to New York City.
Madagascar 3 is eye-filling, even eye-popping. Much of the new movie takes place in a circus, and the over-the-top, brightly colored imagery is completely compatible. There’s no question that CGI animation looks great in 3D, and the 3D effects here are particularly good.
Madagascar 3 Europe’s Most Wanted 3D is showing July 27, 28, 29, Aug. 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12. Aug. 3/Family Friday the movie will be in 2D ONLY. Rated PG, Running time: 1 hour 33 minutes
