Cast: Voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith

Directors: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath

The four animals who escaped New York Central Park Zoo only to find themselves in Madagascar now make their journey complete. Their new stop is Africa, the home of their ancestors where Alex the lion meets his parents (should go down as one of the most unlikely reunions of all time); Marty the zebra finds a herd; Melman the giraffe becomes a doctor; and Gloria the hippo finds love.

And how do they make their way there? The penguins build them a plane out of junk, which is basically slung-shot across the ocean. “Who said penguins can’t fly?” says their skipper.

The sequel to the 2005 Madagascar is as spunky, witty and funny. However, what’s a let-down perhaps is the story, which takes the same course as The Lion King, with a detour towards Shrek thrown in. There’s hardly a new joke that you can’t anticipate or haven’t seen before.

The funniest guy, ‘King Julien’, voiced by Sacha Baron Cohen, has a disappointingly short role while the grandmother Nana has an irritatingly long one. Violence towards both small animals and old women is allowed, as is running over them with a car.

However, the animation is excellent and the animals lovable. The rest shouldn’t stop the kids from coming in.

shalini.langer@expressindia.com