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MADAGASCAR 3

"Circus Follies"

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What You Need To Know:

Alex the lion and his zoo friends return in MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED. Alex wants to get home to the New York Zoo, but the crazy penguins have flown to Monte Carlo to gamble. While trying to meet the penguins in Monte Carlo, they crash the casino and get into more trouble. A zealous French, female, animal control officer starts chasing them. The gang flees and hides out in a struggling circus. With the money the penguins won at Monte Carlo, they buy the circus. Alex becomes the leader, but running a circus is more difficult than he thinks.

MADAGASCAR 3 is hilarious, but the plot doesn’t always make sense. The characters are enjoyable and create lots of crazy fun, however. There are some adult jokes requiring caution for younger children. Also, a main plot device has Alex lying, with the repercussions not shown until the third act. Overall, MADAGASCAR 3 has a Christian, redemptive, moral worldview. The characters love each other and create a family that sacrifices for each other. Though the characters lie in order to achieve their goals, the lying is rebuked at the end.

Content:

(BB, CC, Pa, L, VV, M) Strong moral redemptive worldview of sacrifice and being a family, with some Roman Catholic elements including prayer and veneration of Mary, plus the Pope and and the Vatican are shown, marred by some pagan content involving lying, but the lying is rebuked at the end; one light profanity, plus some scatological humor; strong comic violence includes things hit woman in face, woman runs into a building, men drive off and fall into the ocean, scenes with slapping in them, two characters slam into rock cliffs, characters fall, makeshift helicopter plane crashes but cartoon characters aren’t really hurt, and a character runs into buildings and walls; kissing of two animals; no alcohol use; no smoking; and, lying but somewhat rebuked at the end, greed, gambling, stealing by Julian the conceited ringtailed lemur, tattoo on animals.

More Detail:

The popular zoo gang gets back together for another adventure in MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED. This time they become circus stars. MADAGASCAR 3 has some jumping plot points, but overall is fun, energetic, and entertaining.

Alex the lion, played by Ben Stiller, has nightmares of not being able to get back to the New York Zoo and being stranded in the African Desert. This nightmare is triggered when the penguins take off in a huge plane to go to Monte Carlo to gamble and yell that they will not return. The team tries to cheer Alex up by making a replica of New York City out of sand. This inspires Alex so much that he suggests they should all go to Monte Carlo, find the penguins and get to New York.

The group does just that. While trying to get the penguins, however, trouble occurs when they crash a party. A zealous French, female, animal control officer starts chasing them. Running away, the gang comes to a train full of circus animals, who won’t let anyone come on the train unless they’re part of the circus themselves. Alex lies and tells the group that they are from the circus. To keep the lying going, he makes up an elaborate tale of his tricks. A strong tiger named Vitaly doesn’t believe them but allows them on the train anyway. With the money the penguins had won at Monte Carlo, they are able to buy the circus from the human owner, who leaves with all the clowns. With no experience leading a circus, Alex lets the group do their usual act, but he soon finds out that people don’t like it because it’s such a mess.

Confiding in Stefano the sea lion (played by Martin Short), Alex asks why the circus isn’t doing well. Stefano gives him the background information that Vitaly used to inspire the circus through his incredible tricks. One day, Vitaly was performing his incredible trick of jumping through smaller and smaller rings while covered in oil. This time, however, he ordered the tiniest ring to be set on fire. The oil ignited the fire and burned off all his fur. When the fur grew back, it came in too coarse. Consequently, he wasn’t able to perform his amazing act anymore and he lost all of his confidence. Without Vitaly’s inspiration, the whole circus fell apart.

So, Alex has to figure out some way to inspire all the animals, including Vitaly. Otherwise, the American promoter that will see them in London won’t send the circus to New York. As Alex and his friends work with their new friends, the horrible animal control office, Captain Chantel DuBois is hot on their tails, figuratively speaking!

MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED is hilarious, but the plot doesn’t always make sense because it skips several times and moves so fast. The characters are very enjoyable and create lots of fun. The 3D effects are also very entertaining. There are some very light adult jokes in the movie, however, so parents should use caution for younger children. Also, a main plot device has Alex lying. The repercussions aren’t shown until the third act, when everything is resolved. Younger children also may be overwhelmed by all the fast action.

Overall, MADAGASCAR 3 has a strong moral worldview with the characters loving each other and creating a cohesive family. They are also willing to sacrifice for one another. They must get over their pride. So there is a strong moral redemptive worldview of sacrifice and being a family, with some Roman Catholic elements including respect for Mary, the Pope, and the Vatican are shown. Caution is advised for younger children because of the lying. There is also very brief scatological humor.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.