The film, like its predecessor, has a score composed byHans Zimmer. Singerwill.i.am contributed five songs to the soundtrack.
Released byParamount Pictures[b] on November 7, 2008,Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa received generally positive reviews from critics for its characters, humor and animation, with critics considering it an improvement over its predecessor. It grossed $603.9 million on a $150 million budget, making it thesixth highest-grossing film of 2008.[5] It was dedicated to Bernie Mac, who died before the film's release.[6] Asequel,Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, was released in 2012.
InKenya,[7] thealphalion Zuba tries to teach his young son Alakay how to fight, but Alakay is more interested in dancing. Rival lion Makunga challenges Zuba for the title of alpha, but during their fight, Alakay is captured bypoachers and put in a crate. Zuba gives chase and breaks the safety harness off of the crate containing Alakay, but is shot in the ear and incapacitated. The crate falls into the ocean and drifts toNew York City, where Alakay is renamed Alex, grows up at theCentral Park Zoo, and meets his lifelong best friends: Marty, Melman, and Gloria.
Years later, following their adventure inMadagascar,[c] Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria, along withpenguins Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private andchimpanzees Mason and Phil, prepare to return to New York aboard a battered airplane piloted by the penguins, accompanied by King Julien, Maurice and Mort. The plane runs out of fuel and crash lands in continental Africa. The animals find themselves at a watering hole on anature reserve, and are excited to meet others of their species. Alex is reunited with his parents and impresses them with tales of his status as "the king of New York". Marty fits in with a herd of other zebras who look and sound just like him. Melman, ahypochondriac, is distressed that the reserve has no doctors, so the other giraffes appoint him theirwitch doctor. Seeking romance, Gloria attracts the attention of the smooth-talking hippo Moto Moto. Meanwhile, the penguins set about repairing the plane, assisted by numerous chimpanzees recruited by Mason and Phil. They steal vehicles from humans on asafari and strip them for parts. Nana, a tough old woman who attacked Alex inGrand Central Station,[c] takes charge of the stranded tourists and helps them survive in the wilderness for the time being.
In a scheme to oust Zuba as alpha lion, Makunga insists that Alex complete arite of passage which the latter mistakes for a talent contest. It is actually a fighting contest, and Makunga tricks him into choosing Teetsi, the strongest lion as his opponent, resulting in Alex's humiliating defeat. Despondent, Zuba relinquishes his title as alpha to Makunga, who banishes Alex from the watering hole. Meanwhile, Marty is dejected by the realization that the other zebras can do everything he can, believing himself no longer unique. Melman comes to believe that he is deathly ill and, having secretly loved Gloria for a long time, is saddened by her interest in Moto Moto. The four friends get into a heated argument with one another. Gloria has a date with Moto Moto, but loses interest when she realizes he is only attracted to her because of her size. After a pep talk from Julien, Melman finally reveals his feelings for Gloria.
The next day, the animals panic when the watering hole dries up. Determined to redeem himself, Alex mends his friendship with Marty and they leave the reserve to investigate upriver. Julien suggests that offering a sacrifice to the nearby volcano will restore the water. Melman, forlorn and believing he is dying, volunteers to be sacrificed. Gloria stops him from jumping into the volcano, and realizes that he loves her for more than her appearance. Alex and Marty discover that the stranded humans have built a camp and dammed up the river, and Alex is captured by them. Zuba rushes to his aid, but Alex saves them both by dancing for the humans, who remember him fondly from the zoo. Marty, Melman, Gloria, the penguins, and the chimpanzees arrive in the repaired airplane and help Alex destroy the dam, restoring the water. Makunga angrily makes a stand for control, but Alex tricks him into being subdued by Nana, forcing him out of power. Zuba offers Alex the title of alpha lion, but he declines, believing the title belongs to his father. Zuba claims the title belongs to them both, and father and son become co-leaders.
Skipper marries abobblehead doll from the plane, and he, the other penguins, and the chimpanzees head off to honeymoon inMonte Carlo.[d] As for the quartet and the lemurs, they happily decide to stay on the reserve for a while.
A sequel toMadagascar had been in development since 2005, when the first film had been released, with a release date planned for late 2008.[8] In the first teaser trailer, which was released in March 2008, the film was subtitledThe Crate Escape.[9] By June 2008, the film was given its final title –Escape 2 Africa.[10]Los Angeles-based studioDuck Studios, animated the end credits scene usingCutout animation with a style inspired byAfrican art.[11]
Rotten Tomatoes reported that 64% of critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 5.9/10, based on 156 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is an improvement on the original, with more fleshed-out characters, crisper animation and more consistent humor."[12] Another review aggregator,Metacritic classified the film into the "generally favorable" reviews category with 61/100 approval rating based on 25 reviews, also a bit higher a score than the original.[13] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[14]
Michael Phillips of theChicago Tribune stated in his review that the film "goes easy on the pop culture jokes, I should clarify: one of the smarter things in the script is how Alex, who digs hisBob Fosse andJerome Robbins dance moves, becomes the film's primary pop-cult gag."[15]Roger Ebert of theChicago Sun-Times gave the film 3/4 stars and wrote "This is a brighter, more engaging film than the originalMadagascar."[16] John Anderson ofNewsday gave the film 3.5/4 stars and stated "Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa, the sequel to the enormously successful DreamWorks adventure and a film that hews close to the wholeLion King/species-as-destiny/self-fulfillment paradigm."[17]Joe Morgenstern ofThe Wall Street Journal wrote: "The roots are shallow, but the sequel is good-natured, high-spirited and perfectly enjoyable if you take it for what it is."[18] Jim Schembri ofThe Age gave the film 3.5/5 stars, describing it as a "hugely entertaining, lightning-fast, ceaselessly funny follow-up to the adorable 2005 animated hit", and deemed it one of the best animated films of 2008.[19] Kelly Jane Torrance ofThe Washington Times gave the film 3/5 stars, writing that it "might not offer audiences cutting-edge animation or a particularly original story", but added: "It still has a lot going for it, though: foot-tapping music, laughs for young and old and the prodigious talents of Sacha Baron Cohen."[20]
Shubra Gupta ofThe Indian Express wrote that the film was "as spunky, witty and funny" as its predecessor, and praised the animation and characters, but criticized the story for "[taking] the same course asThe Lion King, with a detour towardsShrek thrown in."[21] Carrie Rickey ofThe Philadelphia Inquirer gave the film 2/4 stars and wrote: "Take the flat tire that wasMadagascar. Retread it withThe Lion King storyline. Pump it up with air. Now you haveMadagascar: Escape 2 Africa."[22]Peter Bradshaw ofThe Guardian gave the film 2/5 stars, describing it as "a frankly disappointing piece of opportunism, with a non-plot which shamelessly rips offThe Lion King."[23] Anthony Quinn ofThe Independent also gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "The visual invention and draughtsmanship are mightily impressive; a shame the drama's a bit of a bore."[24]
On its opening day, the film grossed $17,555,027 from 4,056 theaters with a $4,328 average. It went to be at No. 1 at the box office with $63,106,589 with $15,559 average per theater.[25] As of March 19, 2009, it achieved a gross of $180,010,950 (29.8% of total gross) in the United States and Canada along with a gross of $423,889,404 (70.2%) in other regions adding to a worldwide gross total of $603,900,354.[2]
Hans Zimmer returned to compose the score for the film, this time being joined bywill.i.am. The soundtrack includes five new songs performed by will.i.am; his cover of "I Like to Move It" was used in the end credits.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa was released onDVD andBlu-ray Disc on February 6, 2009 byParamount Home Entertainment, along with two episodes fromThe Penguins of Madagascar series: "Popcorn Panic" and "Gone in a Flash".[27] In the first week at the DVD sales chart,Madagascar opened at No. 1, selling 1,681,938 units which translated to $27.09m in revenue.[28] As of April 2010, 13.7 million home entertainment units were sold worldwide.[29]
TheMadagascar: Escape 2 Africa - Movie Storybook was written by Rob Scotton and illustrated by Michael Koelsch, and was published byHarperCollins Children's Books in 2008.[30][31] Koelsch had previously illustrated theMadagascar - Movie Storybook forScholastic in 2005.[32][33]
A sequel titledMadagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted was released on June 8, 2012. Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman are still fighting to get home to New York. This time their journey takes them to a traveling circus in Europe which they will reinvent Madagascar style.
