Between 2005 and 2012, the Madagascar films sent their animal protagonists on a series of globetrotting adventures, venturing from a New York zoo to the titular island in the first big-screen outing, getting stranded in Africa in Madagascar 2’s return trip, and touring Europe in Madagascar 3. The larger specimens – a lion, giraffe, zebra and hippo – led the way as the stars of the show; however a few diminutive offsiders threatened to steal their spotlight.
So it is that penguins Skipper (Tom McGrath, Mr. Peabody & Sherman), Kowalski (Chris Miller, Turbo), Rico (Conrad Vernon, Puss in Boots), and Private (Christopher Knights, Megamind) have earned their own movie escapade, the film capitalising upon their growing appeal in the same vein as – but chronicling a different chapter to – the animated television series The Penguins of Madagascar. Dropping the “the” and escaping their other furry friends, the flightless birds live another life as unintentional, unofficial international espionage agents.
After a brisk prologue that shows just how the quartet came together back in Antarctica a decade prior, Penguins of Madagascar follows their exploits out in the big wide world. What starts as a quest to eat their favourite snack in celebration of Private’s birthday becomes a kidnapping plot, with the cute critters the victims. A revenge-fuelled octopus named Dave (John Malkovich, RED 2) emerges as the culprit, and an elite undercover inter-species task force called the North Wind – comprised of wolf leader Classified (Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game), harp seal Short Fuse (Ken Jeong, TV’s Community), polar bear Corporal (Peter Stormare, 22 Jump Street), and snowy owl Eva (Annet Mahendru, The Americans) – their supposed saviour. In attempting to bring down a villain and save their species, however, these aquatic adventurers can more than hold their own.
The brevity of the introduction, which includes an added gag for avid cinephiles and documentary aficionados, is mimicked by the entire feature, with nary a moment left to lag or a narrative twist allowed to wear out its welcome. Speeding from one development to the next is the approach preferred by directors Eric Darnell (Antz) and Simon J. Smith (Bee Movie), and writers John Aboud, Michael Colton (Newsreaders), and Brandon Sawyer (the Monsters vs. Aliens series), for the movie’s entire duration. Whether whizzing through exuberant displays of slapstick physicality on the streets of Venice, or peppering the dialogue with snappy one-liners and oddly celebrity-focused name puns, the behind-the-scenes team favours energy and amusement over dwelling too long on any one sequence, or even on the mechanics of the messages of believing in yourself and not taking anything at face value.
One of the most refreshing elements of the penguin foursome as recurring characters has always been the cast, their vocals stemming not from well-known actors, but from among the crew of the films. Harking back to a time where the tale, not the talent, was the main attraction in animated fare, it is a technique that perfectly suits supporting players that have become stars in their own right. Famous names feature among the new inclusions, with Malkovich and Cumberbatch clearly relishing their stereotypical turns, though never do their recognisable tones overpower the lead voice work – or the colourful visuals. Penguins of Madagascar may not otherwise surprise in its friendly spin-off silliness, but it does what a hijinks-heavy, hyperactive feature-length cartoon should: engage and entertain in a pleasant-enough manner.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Penguins of Madagascar
Directors: Eric Darnell and Simon J. Smith
USA, 2014, 92 mins
Release date: January 1
Distributor: Fox
Rated: G
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