Sunday, 10 June 2012 03:38

Written by Robert Biller

About 5 minutes into Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, I wanted to demand my $5.50 back – 78 minutes after that, as the end credits began to roll, I wished it hadn’t ended. There’s a scene, about a fifth of the way through, when King Julien takes his new love, a gigantic tutu-wearing female circus bear pedaling a tiny unicycle, on a date in and thru the Eternal City that is simply ridiculously entertaining. Set to the music from the Euro-smash hit “Time to Say Goodbye,” it epitomizes the goofy but heartfelt nature of this cinematic family pleaser. Madagascar 3’s surprisingly innovative, yet reassuringly familiar, as those Central Park Zoo loonies hide-out in a European traveling circus evading Captain DuBois, a vicious animal control officer from Monte Carlo, who is determined to bag Alex the lion and mount his head on her crowed trophy wall. The most ingratiating new character joining Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria is a hapless performing sea lion with an enormous overbite and a tiny brain named Stefano. The penguins add their crusty (as usual) edge to adventure 3 demonstrating, once again, that cute ain’t necessarily cuddly. Even the soundtrack, featuring the likes of Katy Perry, is well beyond mundane. Can’t wait for Madagascar 4!