The Madagascar Reception Makes Me Irrationally Angry⎮A Dreamworks Discussion

WARNING LETHAL LEVELS OF SODIUM CONTAINED WITHIN THIS VIDEO
Seriously though....what the heck is up with the rotten tomatoes surrounding the first Madagascar film? There is no way I am the only person that actually likes the film? Am I?

[@heartlessmushroom]

I actually think Madagascar 1 is incredibly clever narrative-wise. Beneath the parody and the slapstick (which is excellent, for the record) lies the fact that Alex is both the protagonist AND the antagonist of the story, which is rather unique for a film of its type.

[@goatsfluff]

Agreed! The way the whole thing is set up is that the main characters are in a zoo, but for the most part, they don't actually feel trapped; it's like they're actors. They're being pampered like crazy, and some of them love the attention. Alex is the star of the show. The conflict arises when Marty gets his wish, which totally makes Alex' world fall apart. These two best friends have desires which clash with those of the other. Neat writing in my book.

Yes ! That, exactly ! In my opinion, that's what gives Madagascar 1 the power to still feel fresh even years later, it is a different type of plot, with very good storytelling ! Where nearly every animated movies / movies are using the same "hero's journey" type of structure, Madagascar tried something different ! (And pulled it off)

[@theoneperson3996]

@ Also the thing that literally in Zoo part Marty is main protagonist with him being unhappy and trapped and then story slowly changes POV to Alex as Main Protagonist for rest of movie.

[@renaigh]

I think the 'Protag is the Antag' schtick is a Parody of American Psycho

[@magentialice]

he is his own worst enemy

[@madamii]

Couldn't trust rotten tomatoes ever since I found out it gave The Road To El Dorado a 48%. Tbf, most of the reviews and ratings are from 2000 and the movie has gained a fanbase over the years.

[@orlandolee4438]

Yeah Rotten Tomatoes are cunts! Like they put 16% on Wild Wild West...I fucking love that movie!

[@Axyr]

I think what happened is that movies like El Dorado and Madagascar went bellow the bar, and now the bar has been lowered so much, plus our has culture grown both tired and appreciative of new stuff, that what used to be trash is now golden. No pun intended, me no english much very good can.

[@madamii]

@@Axyr Maybe. I know back then people REALLY wanted cg movies so El Dorado really didn't stand much of a chance and critics at the time thought it was predictable. People nowadays are just giving older underrated movies a chance and finding hidden gems.

[@screamingcactus1753]

@@Axyr I wouldn't say the bar has been lowered necessarily. there's a ton of mediocre and even down right bad work from the past that tends to get filtered out of collective memory, so the past as a whole looks better than the present because the wheat has already been separated from the chaff and we're only seeing its greatest hits. It's more to do with audience expectations. Every generation has movies that go against current trends and get buried as a result, only to be found later by an audience that no longer carries that bias and can appreciate them for what they are.

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

Movie sentiments change over the years Predator and The Thing got horrible reviews and reception when they first released, but where loved over time Some movies age badly, and fall from grace

[@walterhernandez6805]

“Is she dead” “NO!” *Commits Vehicular Man Slaughter*

[@zebfirehd9102]

The old lady who refuses to be bested

[@chillguy7687]

@@zebfirehd9102 She’s got to be related to Queen Elizabeth.

[@tanker00v25]

“Manslaughter? I did that shit on purpose"

[@TheWrongButton]

Legit one of the few times I’ve ever burst out laughing at a movie scene

[@asmagamer728]

The man behind the vehicular man slaughter

[@violetsanddragons]

The spy penguins had a whole series I watched and loved with my brothers.

[@أحمدمصطفىشلبي-ج2ه]

ooooh I remember that, loved it so much

[@unripetheberrby6283]

My grandmother loved the penguins so much she watched them with me lol

[@firenze6478]

Penguins of Madagascar

[@js66613]

Penguins of Madagascar was a great series. I loved Marlene as an addition to the cast too.

[@kurtiscourthiau5721]

not only a serie now also a movie, but the series was awesome

[@queendsheena1]

While I love Pixar's work. I'm saddened by the increasing disdain critics are showing animated films that don't follow the 'grand message first' party line. All kinds of animation deserve celebration.

[@matheussanthiago9685]

for starters, the highbrow blokes from the academy literally do not care for animation for them it's nor even a genre of the media, it's a category if Arcane was a movie it would run for the Oscars against Illumination's minions or something, that's how out of touch their criteria is animation is a lesser form of art for them that's why I say animation fans have the moral duty of thoroughly ignore Academy-oriented critics

[@harrylane4]

@@matheussanthiago9685 “it’s not even a genre” that’s because animation isn’t a genre? There are a lot of issues with how animation is portrayed in the Academy, your argument is not one of them.

[@shinyagumon7015]

You can even see it backfiring for Pixar with Luca and Turning Red who are seen as lesser because they don't have the most high brow stories to tell. If Pixar doesn't reinvent the wheel with every film they get treated badly too.

[@alextunneyware]

@@shinyagumon7015 nowadays, they either just make certain leaps that get people unnecessarily angry despite the movies not being that bad, or they make a horrible sequel completely reliant on nostalgia for its success that blinds most people on the first viewing and tricks them into believing that the movie was actually good

[@princeapoopoo5787]

the academy isn't even consistent when it comes to that because a lot of times films that have adult themes and treat them seriously are ignored because they aren't the work of a big western studio. it feels like they don't care about pixar for being "deep" as much as its attachment to the mouse conglomerate tbh

[@CalvinKalisto]

The 3rd was my favourite movie. Plus my favourite joke in the first movie is that scene on the beach with Alex and Marty, Marty says, *" Oh, Sugar Honey Ice Tea! "* if you take the first letters from each word, excluding the word 'Oh' , you get, _" Oh, SHIT! "_

[@skylord1846]

I like that joke to. It’s to funny 😆.

[@hobomike6935]

*GIRAFFE, **_CORNER POCKET!_* Melman: (internally signing his own last will & testament)

[@ChrisSuperDude]

I still preer when Alex makes the giant "HELP" and then it crashes to "HELL". A little less subtle, but little 8 year old me thought that was peak comedy.

[@skylord1846]

@@ChrisSuperDude That was also a funny joke. It cracked me up.

[@FalseRadiation]

Years ago I thought that was the origin of the joke and many people used it after

[@hobomike6935]

I loved all 3 madagascars. The new characters that are introduced always add something to the franchise, such as the chimps, the penguins, Alex's parents, Moto-Moto, and the Fur Power Circus gang! The Madagascar villains are pretty weak across all 3 movies. we've got *>Granny,* who's really just there to antagonize them and isn't necessarily a bad person. she even saves the humans in Madagascar 2. *>The Foosa* (most people forget they were even in the movie because of how they only play a role at the end of the movie!) *>Makunga,* who's just kind of a watered-down Scar from the Lion King. *>Dubois,* who fluctuates between sinister threat to the animals and over-the-top saturday-morning villain. so you're never really settled on how to feel when she's onscreen. she has some "bad@$$ scenes," where she shows off skills, but her character's kinda one-dimensional....can't you care about anything other than taxidermy? please? But let's be honest; *the heroes-vs villains aspect was always secondary to the franchises' plotlines.* Most of the story is based around the emotions and adventures of the four friends, and the new friends that they make along the way. the visuals increase across each movie; 1's CGI didn't age _super_ well, but isn't BAD. 2's CGI still looks pretty good even today, and 3 had some of the most amazing visuals we've seen (particularly the Monte-Carlo escape scene, and the final Sequence with the Circus rescue. *WOW.* Katy Perry's _Fireworks_ was never a more fitting song for that amazing display. so many colors and lights!) anyway....I know that most dreamworks movies just don't ever hit the heights of Disney, but Madagascar is one of the stronger cartoon franchises out there, and deserves nothing less than praise.

[@orlandolee4438]

In my opinion Dubois along with Dave are the only genuinely good villains in the franchise but I respect Your opinion...

[@ShockwaveFPSStudios]

Well atleast the Foosa had personalities in All Hail King Julien.

[@heartlessmushroom]

I dont know I think Dubois was great on just how over the top she is. Also I'd argue the antagonist of the first film is actually Alex since the Foosa only play a very minor role in the grand scheme of things.

[@renaigh]

I disagree, Dreamworks has surpassed Disney in Quality over the years.

[@ceve]

I love the granny

[@thenerdbeast7375]

I definitely agree the first one needs more love, as that was when the concept of animals born in captivity are released to the wild was at its freshest. In fact I feel the second one is the worst, because in the first film we brought up the the idea of _what happens when the lion gets hungry_ then that was totally ignored in the second film, with wild lions acting perfectly civilized and part of a community with their food and honestly its a bit of tonal whiplash. Like yeah it is true that predators are an important part of the ecosystem, but when you add sapience to the mix and cross-species communication it gets a little uncomfortable.

[@Waxican]

Glad I wasn’t the only one who saw this as weird. Another franchise where they do this is in Ice Age with Diego. Now Diego is obviously a predator throughout the franchise and has been shown threatening to eat Sid, possum twins, and kids when they get on his nerves. Sure all the mammals have sentience but it was assumed Diego was eating random animals that the herd didn’t know during the first and second films. The third movie is where this idea really is brought into the light (3rd is my favorite btw). There’s a scene where Diego is hunting a gazelle and he fails, and afterwards the gazelle taunts him. The thing that makes this scene so weird is that earlier in the film, Diego is seen around the other mammals and they all just act like whatever, letting their kids just walk right up to him. So like does Diego have a Jungle Book code of conduct where he doesn’t hunt others at public areas like water holes or the playpen? I mean what if Diego succeeded in killing that gazelle? I’m sure he has to somewhat know who that gazelle is since they all seem to be part of the same community. What if that gazelle was a father and next time Diego goes with the herd to a public space that gazelles family is there?! I always find it weird when predators and prey coexist like that; not that it can’t work in a film, but it has to be done a certain way.

[@gryffindorftw6198]

Right? This ain’t the Lion King or Zootopia where you have to ignore that problem for the sake of the story.

[@thenerdbeast7375]

@@gryffindorftw6198 Well with the Lion King they don't ignore it at all, the circle of life is talked about a lot and there are scenes of hunting.

[@gryffindorftw6198]

@@thenerdbeast7375 And yet all the animals live like they are in a kingdom with zebras bowing to a lion like they aren’t his natural prey. You gotta admit, that’s kind of strange. But you have to ignore weird details like that for the sake of story.

[@xxllamaborrachaxx9374]

@@gryffindorftw6198 Actually, in Zootopia, they very discretely took care of that problem by only making mammals sentient. One can assume that the meat that carnivores eat comes either from fish, birds, or even reptiles and insects.

[@SteelPanda220]

I love the Madagascar franchise. I don’t care what anyone says.

[@nefwaenre]

i came here to comment this same thing, but you have bested me at this. i agree wholeheartedly with you.

[@batfreeze56]

Madagascar was my movie growing up. I loved it then, still do.

[@SteelPanda220]

Mine too.

[@skylord1846]

Same here.

[@brunomichienzi2719]

Same.

[@jakedebruin2246]

Who cares what rotten tomatoes thinks? They gave freaking cuties a good score!

[@hobomike6935]

I'm still waiting for them to rate themselves. they seem to have no problem poo-pooing on everyone else. time for them to taste their own medicine for a change

[@SteelPanda220]

The opinions of Rotten Tomatoes are officially null and void.

[@joshuagonzalez4183]

@Jake_DeBruin Exactly! (vomits)

[@andymcmillan2193]

I'm sorry but they did what?!

[@mingledingle1556]

No they didn’t. You don’t understand how rotten tomatoes works

[@tibedog5629]

I was in Basic Training when the first movie released on DVD. One of the punishments another platoon had to do was to do the "I like to move it move it" scene in full battle rattle in their rooms as the drill sgt played the dvd on full blast over a PA system of their building. I remember at nights being woke up to "I like to move it move it" and sitting up to watch out my window across the yard to the other building through their windows and watching the dr sgt going around flashing the lights of the rooms as the guys danced around in full gear. I constantly dreaded the possibility that one of my drill sgts would see and go 'that's a great idea'

[@greco-romano9852]

What I'd pay to have that recording.

[@matheussanthiago9685]

how's that punishment? it sounds FUN

[@Udontkno7]

Shit like this makes me miss basic. Just the funny stuff. Fuck all nothing else. Addition: I could imagine in CG basic us saying 'I like to move it move it" while doing the line.

[@Snow-xd4rv]

@Joa Nnali You need to learn how to spell, cause how did you fuck up psychopathic like that

[@perebima]

Number 3 is the best because it had an actual threatening villian. Sure she was slapstick but it was that antagonistic plot that was missing from the previous instalments. Escape to Africa did have a villian, but he was more of a foil and wasn’t as much as a threat as Captain DuBois. I din’t think I workday love the third movie as much as I do without her.

[@toothfairy10133]

also they gave her a villain song??? like, no, it wasn't an original song, but i was obsessed with je ne regrette rien for months after i watched 3 for the first time.

[@dillydraws]

Plus she was a villian on the same level as the penguins

[@xxllamaborrachaxx9374]

The old lady in Escape to Africa was a villain too. And the most evil, imho.

[@strelitziamystery21]

I think out of all three movies my favourite sub plot was Alex's in the first movie. To recap its basically Alex slowly starving and almost attack his friends in the movie, by the end he eats fish so he doesn't eat his friends. We are literally watching someone starve themselves and go crazy. Take a moment to think about how messed up that is. I don't know how people said that the first movie wasn't deep.

[@lilchaos9212]

Plus the whole idea that none of them knew that Alex was a carnivore or what 'steak' actually was. He would eat it casually in front of them, with none of them knew that it was meat. Or that he had claws since he seems shocked and unsure of how to use them once he starts using them in the first film. Nevermind the fact that Marty has a permanent scar from when his best friend nearly murdered him. This film was dark af.

[@codytappen]

Any critic who said Shrek 2 was worse than Shrek should never be trusted. If they said they’re the same quality, they’re on thin ice.

[@justabearbrowsingyoutube4968]

Caring what Rotten Tomatoes thinks is like expecting professional medical advice from Facebook “urine-therapy” groups.

[@eslm-studios2996]

I always enjoyed the first two Madagascar films. The third one's a mixed bag for me because I felt and still feel like Escape 2 Africa has a sense of finality to it since Alex has found his parents and the four are now living in Africa, basically the continent their zoo tried to replicate. The third film's all right, but I'll always see 1 and 2 as a complete pair and the third as a nice add-on.

[@indrickboreale7381]

I had a bit of grudge against the third film, because it ignored events from Penguins of Madagascar animated series

[@eslm-studios2996]

@@indrickboreale7381 How is that a problem when Penguins of Madagascar is clearly non-canon?

[@indrickboreale7381]

@@eslm-studios2996 It's not, but I didn't know that is the case back then

[@eslm-studios2996]

@@indrickboreale7381 ......

[@haleys5539]

My favorite movies! Honestly, my favorite is 2. Fun characters, and pretty good jokes too

[@johnnyogbah3288]

Mine to

[@perebima]

“Look out! I think moto moto likes you”

[@firenze6478]

Mine too

[@sunstrike2738]

The first Madagascar movie came out when I was elementary, second when I was in middle school, and third in when I was in high school. I adored the 1st movie as a kid and danced around to the film soundtrack all the time. I was an angsty tween when the second one came out and didn't have high hopes that this franchise would still interest me at that age but I was caught WAY off-guard with the quality, saw it with my mom and we had a bunch of big laughs. It was a fun time. The third one I actually liked the least, I don't know if the circus thing turned me off or what but it defiantly felt like the largest tonal-shift in the franchise. I was also mad that Gloria and Melman were shoved off to the side when I really enjoyed their side-plots in the 2nd movie. Also thought it felt weird for the series to end with them joining the circus permanently, maybe just not the ending I pictured for these characters ??

[@skylord1846]

Here’s my ranking of the Madagascar trilogy: 1: Madagascar 1 2: Madagascar 2 3: Madagascar 3 My favorite is the first movie. The other two are good, but not as good as the first.

[@silvraanctuary]

My fav has got to be the second i think. I was such a big fan of madagscar and alex that i used to copy his roar pose back at the zoo when i was like 4

[@skylord1846]

@@silvraanctuary So what’s your ranking of the three movies?

[@silvraanctuary]

@@skylord1846 hmmmmmmm id say first for madagascar 2, second the first movie and lastly the third. I dont like the third, idk why tho, its doesnt give me the same vibes as the older movies

[@skylord1846]

@@silvraanctuary I know what you mean. I guess the 3 movie doesn’t have the same charm as the first two. It’s a good movie, but not as good as the first two.

[@firenze6478]

@@silvraanctuary thats my list too

[@dominicsanimatedreviews5966]

I feel goofy animated films get the more varied reviews, because humor is so subjective. Really those first two scores are more a case of "Lots of people will enjoy this but maybe not everyone". I actually don't usually consider the fifties bad for Rotten Tomatoes. When I take them seriously at all that is

[@sepiasmith5065]

I have not forgotten the amazing joke format "About six to nine years." "SIXTY NINE YEARS?" "NO, six TO nine years!" I may have forgotten the exact numbers but the format still cracks me up Idk if this is just something every generation feels, but I'm real bummed out by how negative people have been reacting to animated movies nowadays. Turning Red had a vicious online reception. Plus, personally, I miss 2D animation and I'm sad every Big Animated Movie seems to have to be 3D. I actually barely remember the third movie. One and two stuck with me the most. I think maybe two did moreso. Also I had a DS game modeled after number two and it was so difficult it made me so frustrated LMAO ah memories Also a lot of the movies people praise for their "profound message" I feel are too heavy handed. (And the social commentary feels so dumb nowadays -- it's all about "put down your phones!" and it feels very "kids these days." Idk.) I don't want to be spoon-fed "and that's why we don't take what we have for granted and we love our families." I wanna see stories about interesting and flawed characters encountering problems and finding ways to grow.

[@lucyandecember2843]

Really? I feel like i've seen animated works with more grey area in what they try to convey, granted what came to mind first was Arcane which might not have been part of the medium you're thinking of. But besides that recent works from pixar and disney, ie Encanto, Luca, Soul, and Turning red (as you mentioned) all have and focus quite a lot on social comentary but idk if i'd say its along the lines of "kids these days" and "put down your phones". I don't really know what dream works have released recently so i cant comment on that one. Only one i can think of that has that "put down your phones" message is Mitchell vs the Machines but in that one i feel the situation was kinda presented as both of them being a bit in the wrong and they both should try harder to understand each other better, rather than just "oh pohnes are bad and Mitchell shouldn't be online and be more with her family". I suppose the villain fits with what you mentioned , so if you were thinking of that movie i can see what you mean but i wouldn't say its any worse than what it has been before. If you have the time im curious what movies, if you have any, were you thinking of when you said they feel very heavy handed with its mesaging? Do you just mean social comentary in general or just the ones ypu mentioned? I'd say most movies have allways had some form of social comentary in them, if anything i feel theres more variety in what is portrayed in media nowadays compared to before, but then again i haven't really been keeping up with everything thats being released so maybe im wrong.

[@digitalzealot7026]

OMG I loved these movies when I was kid! I watched them so much, I remembered every sound and frame of them (it was that much) I rewatched the first two recently, and I think they hold up, especially the 2nd movie~ I only saw the 3rd movie once (maybe twice on a dvd I don't rmmbr) in theaters when I was 9, so I don't think I got it burned into my brain like the others

[@أحمدمصطفىشلبي-ج2ه]

inverse case here ,got the 3rd burned into my mind

[@hobomike6935]

The third movie was extremely good and had the best animation of all 3 movies. they also use ALL the characters very well; both the ones we know from the first 2 movies, AND the new ones, all get good screentime. nobody gets left out! that's quite a juggling act.

[@digitalzealot7026]

@@hobomike6935 Might have to check it out again~ I probably might remember more than I think since I was so excited to see it

[@KiraSlith]

People severely overvalue Rotton Tomatoes scores. They skew the user reviews in the favor of and against certain ideologies. Regardless if you support the ideology or not, that makes it tainted data when it comes to measuring actual opinions.

[@screamingcactus1753]

When it comes to measuring quality, yes, but I wouldn't say it's tainted data when it comes to measuring opinions. If someone thinks that a movie espousing a certain ideology makes that movie better or worse, that's their opinion. The only way you would get bad data when measuring opinions is if people lied. Bias can't affect it because opinions ARE bias.

[@KiraSlith]

@@screamingcactus1753 When you delete and bias available perspectives, yes it's tainted data.

[@barrykane7844]

lmao "ideologies" It's a review aggregate, you tool.

[@ohmygawd601]

@@barrykane7844 and it functions by removing the negative reviews in order to artificially inflate the user/critic score. Which was the entire point they made, you bumbling fool.

[@KiraSlith]

@@barrykane7844 They exclusively remove negative reviews of certain media in favor of a certain ideology (like 4eg removing negative reviews of what amounts to child predator smut made with real children). So yeah, the site is run by ideologs, it's not some unmanaged autonomous bot collecting review scores.

[@liljuggernaut2471]

Best parts of the films are when the Penguins are on screen.

[@mamaluigi1438]

The penguins movie was amazing for that exact reason

[@elisanoro]

I remember only liking the first movie as a kid, not caring for the second, and finding the third one cringy. I haven’t seen them in a while to see how I feel about them now but yeah lol. Idk why I found the third one cringy

[@kieranstark7213]

I bet if you rewatched the movies, you may highly enjoy them as much as people like me

[@elisanoro]

@@kieranstark7213 I’m sure too honestly! But I doubt I’ll be watching them any time soon considering I don’t have Hulu nor am I willing to pay for it to watch it lol

[@firenze6478]

Two was my favorite

[@rachelhansen2417]

Pretty much same story for me.

[@JasonGravewalker]

I remember finding it cringy cause of Afro Circus and hearing that damn Katy Perry song.

[@lorettabes4553]

I wonder if the 54% comes from the 'Move it, move it' scene. That scene was impossible to avoid back then, the song was everywhere! I remember hearing it on the radio two years ago. I'm sure it already was a song before Madagascar? But the popularity blew it wayyy up.

[@kiko-pr1rq]

Oof. When i was a kid, i despised the first 2 movies. They were just boring to me. But the 3rd one was different. It was amazing. It's weird saying that because as a kid, i only liked cartoons

[@Dashiell777]

I really liked the 2nd one. It was the one that made me laugh the most

[@skylord1846]

I like the first movie. It’s my favorite.

[@adamlisiewicz1777]

AHKJ is the best thing in franchise and penguins tvshow

[@skylord1846]

@@adamlisiewicz1777 I forgot about that show. It’s pretty good. If you’re a King Julien fan, this might be up your alley.

[@kieranstark7213]

Well then Kiki 1857, what do you think of Madagascar 3’s predecessors now? As great? I’d think so!

[@boorish8354]

As someone who has acted in Madagascar the Musical (yes it exists) as Gloria, can confirm the first movie is massively underrated.

[@CandyThePuppy]

The second one still is probably my favorite, though that near-end scene (from the 3rd movie) where they finally are back at the zoo I remember shook me to my CORE.

[@ognjensijak989]

That scene is in the third film

[@CandyThePuppy]

@@ognjensijak989 that's what I meant- forgot to mention that scene was from the 3rd movie. Guess I just assumed everyone would assume that. XD

[@ognjensijak989]

@@CandyThePuppy a lot of people in the comments have been mentioning that all 3 movies merged together in their memory

[@ShockwaveFPSStudios]

I watched Madagascar 1 when I was little, as I fondly remembered seeing the 2nd and 3rd films while also watching the 2008-2013 Penguins of Madagascar Series. It wasn't until 2016, when I watched the 1st of the Main Series Madagascar, and as I watched it and the rest of the trilogy nonstop, I've grown to love the first one on par with the second one. While I'll always think the 2nd movie's the best and better then the 1st movie, atleast the 1st movie was so well crafted. If I have to rank the Madagascar Trilogy, then Madagascar 2 is first cause it's the best, Madagascar 1 is second, and Madagascar 3 is third.

[@GirlYouDontKnow-rx3lm]

I too hold the Madagascar franchise near and dear to my heart. The characters are charming and likable, the animation is vibrant, the comedy is gut-busting, and all that just improved with each sequel. Also, something DreamWorks doesn't enough credit for is casting celebrities whos natural voices actually fit the characters. And the cast for Madagascar is no different (yes, even Chris Rock's voice fits).

[@DarkArtemisBeyblade]

I may have too much nostalgia but these films are great not the best but they aren't bad 😅👍🔥

[@BluWinger]

Hello blader

[@willfanofmanyii3751]

The main problem I have with the third film, is unlike the previous two films, it doesn't exactly feel like Alex is still the central character per se. The first and second film make it apparent Alex is the main character and he goes through a character arc, both films weighing on his emotions. That's not really there in the third movie.

[@ShockwaveFPSStudios]

Marty took most of the main character focus in the first movie, in the second movie it was mostly focused on Alex.

[@willfanofmanyii3751]

@@ShockwaveFPSStudios Marty and Alex both had the spotlight in the first movie, but Alex was the one who went through development, Marty didn't really show that he gave a damn about how the others felt about the situation until near the end of the movie.

[@ShockwaveFPSStudios]

@@willfanofmanyii3751 Marty did have character development in the first movie. Both Alex and Marty did have character development. Marty realized that life isn't perfect after getting his butt bitten by Alex.

[@almas4663]

Well...It was his decision to save and motivate the circus when it was at it's lowest point..Help Vitaly...He's the one Chantel DuBois was specifically interested in, and he ws the one who defeated her. He had the main love story, he was the one who come up with a plan to go find penguins, and his biggest character growth was admitting that they don't need the Zoo anymore, and an adventure Marty took them on was their biggest adventure

[@madox4061]

@@ShockwaveFPSStudios i think marty is the main character of the first half and then alex is the main character once they arrive at the island. they are both the protagonists of the first movie, and then alex is clearly the protagonist of the second and third films.

[@MiyuKawasaki]

Imo the Madagascar videogames are the best games I've ever played, just so creative to me

[@thisisasupersayin376]

ayo there's no way you just said Shrek Forever After was part of a dip in quality

[@Mal-go5dl]

The shrek 4 slander gotta stop

[@hobomike6935]

agreed. It's like people think Shrek 4 sucks just because it came after 3. that's not true, at all. in fact those of us who actually bothered to watch it would know it rectified a lot of the problems 3 left behind.

[@intheclear3492]

@@hobomike6935 in other news, the sky is blue

[@leexperence2965]

by "dip in quality" it was more so "dip in critical response"

[@KingAzxoll9]

While it's definitely better than 3, I wouldn't put it at the same level as 1 & 2.

[@WileyCylas]

My BFF & I grew up loving the 1st movie & had always wanted sequels to it. So whenever we were playing pretend we’d drum up some crazy scenarios bcs we were kids. Got pretty cult-y even tho we were just kids.... would even plot to free the other fellow animals at our county zoo! so fun tho! Sadly by the time we got our wishes fulfilled we had long outgrown the days of play. Glad we weren’t alone!

[@bloopboop9320]

The Madagascar franchise is an odd franchise where it is entirely character focused with very little focus on a strong story so it creates this strange dilemma (especially with the first movie) where the story is rather unfocused, but the character's personalities and relationships are REALLY strong. The first two movies both play out as a series TV-show episodes strung together where every 10 minutes or so another story starts to play out and we learn how the characters interact with each other about it which makes a rather unfocused narrative but it makes a highly enjoyable viewing experience.

[@alphapuph]

All three of them meld together in my memories but I remember only loving the first and that's the only reason I haven't rewatched them fully. I might have to now.

[@BiratesoftheCaribbean]

It's fun. Also HOW IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS PENGUIN SPECIAL that one is the best

[@m.cstudios3551]

The fourth shrek was good

[@lydias376]

Yeah the fourth shrek is great

[@hobomike6935]

>when people start trash talking shrek 4ever after "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR TOOTILY TOOT-TOOT-TOOT! *YA BLEW IT!"*

[@thebowiththemost119]

Yes! Come together my people! It’s the best Shrek Film!

[@m.cstudios3551]

@@thebowiththemost119 wow we should relax shrek 2 is the best in my opinion but shrek 4 is still amazing

[@thebowiththemost119]

@@m.cstudios3551 yeah, their both good. I just like the 4th one slight more.

[@TheSqoad]

I definitely feel the Madagascar trilogy got better with each instalment. When I rewatched the first one I noticed my nostalgia for it did not hold up. Some of the scenes just did not grab me and in some ways I just didn't feel the plot too captivating. Part of that is their weird use of a compelling antagonist - or lack thereof - as it's more about Alex fighting with his primal instincts to hunt and later using those to scare away the fossa that are threatening his friend's life. And then they solve this by just having the penguins feed Alex fish, which is fine but lemurs are also hunters so they could easily have thought of this as well. This film felt more like an episode in a series than a full movie with a good beginning, middle, and end. In the second movie, we now have a proper villain and character motivations. This definitely felt like a proper movie as we are familiar with. Sure, there are some contrivances in the plot, but we can excuse that fairly easily. The comedy is up by several magnitudes, and we get to see our characters in a more native environment and show they are too divorced from it to truly feel at home. It is an interesting idea. The third movie felt a little odd to me. I didn't feel it needed to be made, and I wasn't entirely convinced that I was on board. But for what it is, it is an enjoyable experience and a delight. Our protagonists make a full transformation from minor entertainment as captive zoo animals into major entertainment as free circus animals. It does feel like they came a long way. And the comedy is off the walls crazy, which I have no complaints about. The new villain being essentially the Terminator of animal control is also hilarious. Overall, I definitely feel the series grew with time, and I do feel the first one was by far the weakest, and one I probably wouldn't feel the need to watch even if I wanted to revisit the set.

[@j-2-da-man932]

7/10 Madagascar 8/10 Madagascar 2 9/10 Madagascar 3 (the best one) 8/10 Penguins of Madagascar

[@itsyaboy5824]

I remember watching the third Madagascar film with my dad at some point in the past year just for the hell of it (it was a purely "Yeah why not lmao" type decision to put it on), and I was literally blown away by how insane the beginning of the film is. I think to this day it remains one of my favorite opening film sequences because of how much batshit insane stuff happens is such a short amount of time, literally immaculate. Also YES thank you for bringing up the fact that not every film has to have a profoundly deep message!! As much as I love overanalyzing movies and series and seeing pieces of media that you can really delve into, I feel like there's a severe lack of well made films that are just meant to be entertaining, while still having a bit of an emotional heart to them. (Such as the Madagascar series, and The Bad Guys is a more recent one that comes to mind)

[@sharosecomics7793]

Dude. I haven’t seen the third…I remember disliking 2…but I love the first one. Even nostalgia aside, I’ve seen it as an adult too. Am I nuts or was it actually more scary that the second? Alex going savage is way higher stakes then a crazy old lady trying to shoot them. Imagine if your best friend tried to EAT you 😨

[@BananaPhoPhilly]

Honestly I always thought Shrek 2 was just as good as the first, and actually a lot funnier. A lot of great hard-hitting gags

[@demoarchive7649]

To me, Madagascar 1 is my favourite. It is pretty much a comedic masterpiece to me lol. I can watch it a hundred times and still enjoy it. The slapstick and the way the characters move is so energetic and well done especially with Melman. They can even manage to make a falling out between friends funny. The arguments between the characters are golden and the amount of rage Alex goes through whether it's fighting with Marty or trying to get back home had me rolling on the floor. and even when you think they're going the route of a sappy sad scene where the characters separate due to an incident they're still keeping the humor going. The ironic use of music (What a wonderful world) combined with the part where the alligator eats the duck. It's hilarious. I know the story was a bit weak but I felt the well done comedy made up for it and it was just the great aesthetic I saw in it. I actually find it stands out from other animated movies at the time because of that. When I watched the second movie, they went all out with the story which is cool. but the energetic slapstick and character interactions were just kinda toned down. I remember they briefly had the slapstick for a scene when Alex was attacked by bees. Wasn't a bad movie but I was a bit underwhelmed in that regard. I get the feeling Madagascar 3 was when DreamWorks felt it was time to bring back that hilarity while keeping a strong story. it was great. I think my love for the first movie is a bit biased but it'll always have a place in me for just how hard it got me laughing and how impressed I was by the effort they put into the slapstick and humor.

[@Marshmallow95506]

The first is a timeless classic. The second movie was the bomb! The chubby chasing hippo did not elude me and IT. WAS. HILARIOUS. I loved it. The 3rd movie I never actually liked though. Circus is fun, but it never hit my funny bone right. 2nd Shrek movie was my favorite too. First httyd was best. 2nd was a bigger dip for me. But that was more writing issues.

[@sunstrike2738]

I felt exactly the same lol

[@kit6818]

HOLY SHIT SOMEONE PRONPUNCES TOMATOES CORRECTLY!!! Hi, new veiwer, you had me at "Rise of The Guardians" xD

[@heavystalin2419]

Shark Tale got an Oscar. If this doesn't tell you anything about the integrity of critics, nothing will

[@matheussanthiago9685]

that's just embarrassing at this point

[@matheussanthiago9685]

btw Annie awards is the only award that should matter for animation fans

[@brinerix]

I love all 3 and will continue to love all 3

[@rtyable]

I thought we were over caring what rotten tomatoes says.

[@alex_zetsu]

I loved Madagascar 1, 2 was passable, and I loved 3. In my humble opinion, I too am mystified at the reviews. But if you think the films kept improving with each movie, then doesn't the reviews make sense according to how you view them?

[@mateogonzalez5678]

Man now I gotta rewatch them, because I went through a similar phase you did. I saw the first as a kid and the second as an older kid and when the third came out I was a jaded teen. I think if I went through them now I would appreciate them a lot more! I still remember the commercials where Ben Stiller was sitting among shipping crates with a globe and explained what Madagascar was, because they knew the majority of America didn't know where that was... I have a deep love for the Penguins of Madagascar Christmas special they released with the dvd... I should just watch it again honestly.

[@broghad8241]

Its a film for a kids tho

[@ghostarchertube9033]

A lot of this has to do with WHEN the reviews were made, when the first Madagascar came out, the reviews were made and nowadays would probably be different because of public perception for one reason or another, along with that, once someone saw the first film, didn’t like it, then found out about a second, they probably just decided not to watch the second since they didn’t like the first, meaning more people who liked Madagascar watched Madagascar 2, and since it improved upon Madagascar 1, it did better

[@CODDE117]

Thank you for validating my opinion. People like to shit on things, but I've always loved the Madagascar series. The penguins of Madagascar TV show was also actually really good!

[@hopekeeley2122]

This played on every children’s hospital waiting room tv I went to in my younger days

[@PeterGriffin11]

I know almost everyone hates Shrek The: Third but even after watching that movie again as an adult I still love it and think it's a great movie but I agree with you Madagascar is a great trilogy that is by no means underrated but I disagree with the critics.

[@cordyceps7531]

Madagascar 1 is easily my favorite. Was always baffled by it having the worst rotten tomatoes score.

[@Slayer9568]

I personally prefer the first 2 Madagascar films over the 3rd one i think all 3 are good movies i just prefer those 2 movies over the 3rd also i see this again and again and again people hating on Shrek the 3rd like it's some horrible experience so i ask this am i the only one who enjoyed that movie i also see people hating on Cars 2 which in my opinion it is the best Cars movie

[@أحمدمصطفىشلبي-ج2ه]

cars 2 better, fite me

[@xjayroller1629]

No your not alone. There I agree with every word I grew up watching these movies and I don't care what nobody says they are awesome critic's be damned

[@JDReC100]

i never understood the Shrek 3 hate. the movie is fun, and has its own lessons to tell.

[@skylord1846]

I agree with you about Cars 2. It’s my favorite of the cars trilogy. I also agree with you about Madagascar. The first movie was awesome in in my opinion. The other 2 are good, but not as good as the first.

[@thebowiththemost119]

Personally, I never really liked cars that much. Basically back in the 2000s and early 2020s, I was a dreamworks kid. Manly kung fu Panda and HTTYD.

[@crystalfairy912]

I was 10 when the first had come out. It was some of the funniest stuff I had seen that I saw it three times in theaters. There’s nothing wrong with a straight up comedy now and then. The series and Penguins spin offs still make me laugh. I need to revisit the third.

[@kwaitefuni9152]

2:37 The first thing I thought of was the Cars franchise. Cars 1 was fantastic. Cars 2 was slightly off track. Cars 3 was a great finish to the trilogy.

[@MrLucky5001]

the "critic" score is 54%. their opinions are worthless. the audience score is at 66%. almost a 7 out of 10 is still pretty good.

[@zeer0358]

Madagascar was one of my family’s car movies which we watched on the road, I remember loving it as a kid!

[@ToastyFruitcake]

I honestly had no idea the original was judged that harshly, though I was certainly in the age demographic it was aimed at when it came out. Everyone I knew at the time loved it or at worst got sick of everyone parroting the 'move it' song (which to be fair was inescapable at the time, but nowhere near as annoying as the circus song that came later). The only gripe about quality I heard back then was that people didn't like the more cartoony and angular style, similar to complaints about disney's atlantis.

[@alexyz9430]

SAMEE. I remember being very fond of all three movies and it took me by surprise looking it up on Rotten Tomatoes out of curiosity one day to discover that apparently people didn't like them :

[@amesstarline5482]

While I more remember the Penguins spinoff series, Madagascar 3, and the King Julien spinoff-prequel series, I still find Madagascar more like a cheesy-good. It's not bad, it's still that Dreamworks awkward-charm that many of Dreamworks still has.

[@boodlesofdoodles9992]

I enjoyed all the movies but the first one obviously had a special place in my heart as I watched it while growing up. I also find that the first one has such memorable and quotable lines that I still continue to use in regular conversations. It was such a great and fun film for me!

[@martinbat1164]

Ye I felt the shock from the 3rd film, didn’t think it could get so ridiculous but it did and still enjoyed

[@gryffindorftw6198]

Rotten Tomatoes is known for its nonsensical ratings. I wouldn’t put too much stock in it.

[@Grane1234]

I love Madagascar, but Penguins of Madagascar on the other hand is even better. A pure hour and 30 minutes of Penguin mayhem... and I love it!

[@bflippsytrance]

The Madagascar trilogy still gets regular views in this household. My son loves them and we sure do as well. I really think it has some great characters if which they even made it to series with multiple seasons (king julien and pinguins). Not sure what causes people to hate on them. Surely the first Madagascar doesn't look as polished as the other 2 but you have to consider the time it was made. Very fun and entertaining movie nonetheless.

[@WarmLillie]

I guess it needed a foundation before your going crazy and up.

[@joshuagonzalez4183]

5:51 finally someone actually said it with actual F A C T S ! ! ! edit: “not every film is p i x a r - Smart Pants 2022”

[@pundertalefan4391]

I like the whole trilogy.

[@skylord1846]

Me to!

[@RosiYYAP]

I've been doing a DreamWorks revisit, going through their filmography, and I have to say, actually, I disagree and find the first film more appealing than the second. It felt to be like the second was a bit hollow; it relied on references to the first movie (esp at the very beginning, where like half the jokes for the first 10-15 minutes are references to or straight up recycled bits from the first movie) and I couldn't get invested in the emotional story they were telling. The sub-plot with Gloria and Melvin was pretty eye-rolly to me, while the main focus of Alex with his father was...fine, but not all that engaging for me. I preferred the lower stakes and commitment to humor of the first film a lot more. I def respect them for trying something new with the second film, but I feel that the connecting thread that lets the character-focused plots fall apart is that they're effectively retcons of their previous characters. They try to sell that Melvin has always had feelings for Gloria, which doesn't hold up in the first film, and they inject this whole back story for Alex, and I found both those very fraught and not all that genuine. Instead of developing the characters from where the first film left them off, they backtrack and to rewrite them to fit a plot that wouldn't work with those characters. It made a lot of that movie feel forced to me. I think the only character who developed from where they left off in the first movie was Marty but he got such little screen time, he was barely a character in the second film. Hearing the third movie (which I've never seen and haven't gotten to yet in my watch-thru) is better than the second gives me hope though. I'm looking forward to seeing how it compares. Love the video and I hope to see more like this one in the future!

[@dekumdoriya]

THANK YOU. I see so many reviewers saying it gets better and better, and I always wonder - does no one notice how the story keeps backtracking and changing the story???? That was honestly my biggest problem with the sequels, I could never really buy into them even as a kid.

[@tthegreatiii8125]

I really enjoyed the second movie. I never really watch the films in succession though, so it doesn't irk me when they retcon stuff. I just kind of enjoy each film in isolation (excluding certain references). I think the first one is still the best for me though. Third gets a little cringey at points, but it's alright.

[@gamebuddy1052]

FINALLY, I've been so confused why I always hear these movies come up on the low ends of people's "movie tier list" honestly, I do think its partly because they actually do get better as you get older imo despite the fact these movies are definitely not "adult" or anything

[@thatgazelle2001]

I had a sudden surge of interest to watch the Madagascar films again after not seeing any of them for years expecting to find them passable and nothing more but was pleasantly surprised by how much I actually liked them. The films have a great set of main characters that work off each other really well despite having such vastly different personalities, the stories could get pretty heartfelt and emotional at times, and the movies are just really funny. I'm glad to see someone finally point this out about the franchise because while no it's not groundbreaking in terms of it's story but the way the characters are written and the general style of the films are really well done and I think they're rather underappreciated movies

[@VictoryReviews]

I've never related so intensely with a video MADAGASCAR IS WHO I AM

[@renaigh]

Dreamworks is good building upon their initial films with even better Sequels. Shrek 2, Escape 2 Africa, HTTYD 2, Kung Fu Panda 2. All are Exceptional and in many ways surpass their predecessor's something Pixar struggles with i.e Incredibles 2 and the Cars franchise their only Sequels that work are Toy Story 2 & 3.

[@yaaaas9778]

I never watched any of the sequels, but now I think that maybe I should--

[@ThePlaidestLad]

This is why we need Madagascar 4

[@jk3253]

Here’s why: You were a child having fun and enjoying the movie. The people writing reviews back in 2005 were adults comparing it to the likes of Finding Nemo, Shrek, Toy Story, and The Incredibles (all of which had come out recently by an adult’s reckoning of time.) I saw Madagascar 1 as an adult and thought it was barely watchable… with the exception of the “I like to move it” song which still gets me dancing and singing along every time it comes on. Similarly, I saw Hunchback of Notre Dame as a child and LOVED it! But the adults watching in 1996 similarly thought it was barely passable.

[@lynxovski]

I watched all movies as a kid and I really did not care much for the first 2 movies. One day, I had the choice betwheen doing nothing for an hour or watch the 3th movie, so I thought: "Might aswel give it a try I guess... considering the other option..." And I freaking loved it, the 3th movie had a way more interesting plot, way more interesting character interactions and it was way funnier too.

[@HowToCleanLikeAPro]

I had to take my kids to see the first Madagascar and I absolutely hated it. I was almost angry when we left the theater, so I'm not even sure how they got me to watch the second one but it instantly became one of my favorites. It has so many funny lines and a great soundtrack. After seeing it several times I decided to see if my disdain for the first one was misplaced so I watched it again and I hated it every bit as much as the first time I saw it.

[@itsnotthatdeep6657]

Eh.... The first film was definitely 'darker' than the other two. I imagine that didn't sit as well with the parents compared to the other two. You actually saw this again in the second film, since it literally outright showed sacrificial behavior and stuff.. This is just theoretical, and I'm not agreeing or disagreeing to the rating decision should it have been based on those factors, but if I had to guess I think that's why the ratings look the way they do despite the films all generally being the same. Because if you put all the movies side by side and analyze their similarities and differences, you'll find that literally one of the only differences between them are that there are darker jokes/plot points in the first film that slowly phased out until the third film where it was sorta the least present.. I won't say completely absent though.

[@thechonkbrothers2267]

Everyone in this comment section has completely forgot about the best movie in this franchise…. The Penguins of Madagascar

[@themarsman5155]

My favourite scene would be where the song what a wonder full world is played, while Marty saves a duckling only to get killed by a crocodile

[@johnhayward998]

Like to move it I like to move it I like to move it You like to MOVE IT

[@joshuaW5621]

Madagascar may not be the greatest thing from Dreamworks, but it certainly has made its mark.

[@VenhedisKaffas]

Madagascar is one of those iconic movie series in my family. Basically in the same boat as Ice Age. I barely remember the plot, but they're very dear to my heart for some reason. The second movie has to be my favourite. I think because I watched the third movie when I was a little older, it didn't have the same level of nostalgia. Also, I remember just loving the added backstory for Alex. Then there's also the Penguins and their own tv show and movie. And King Julien and such. For a while, I even forgot there were movies because I watched the show for so long.

[@Sing2FTWBarneyAndFriendsFTL]

I don’t trust Rotten Tomatoes anymore.

[@moviesaredope]

What's your take on the Penguins of Madagascar film? It's the only one of the franchise I've seen and I absolutely adore it

[@JeffYanzi]

I just came in after reading the title and nothing more to leave this message: no, it's the children who are wrong

[@elismart13]

the imdb scores reflect the 3 movies better id say.

[@BlankPapers]

“Am I out of touch?” “No”

[@ultraprincesskenny6790]

Rotten tomatoes gives its score by if a critic review is deemed positive or negative, so 50% score means half of people liked it. But it could be the difference between a bunch of people giving it a 7/10 or a 5/10

[@matityaloran9157]

1:32, to the point of winning the first ever Best Animated Feature Oscar

[@cube4663]

50 is average.

[@Owoshima_]

I will always love the first film as that was the one that I owned a copy of and had seen the most, however 3 has a really good visual scene with the Katy Perry song "Firework" that just works super well and is this great display of energy and visual cohesion that the crew of the films show off from having worked on the previous films.