The Penguins of Madagascar

For anyone who has seen the previous three Madagascar movies, you know that the Penguin characters make for some cute (and sometimes very funny) slapstick humor. However, the idea of an entire movie centered around these characters wasn't one that initially had me interested. I was half expecting the movie to become unfunny and annoying by the 10-minute mark. I am however, pleased to say that I was pleasantly surprised by The Penguins of Madagascar. It was much funnier, cleverer, and had more heart than I was expecting. While it is undoubtedly uneven at times with its pacing, the movie wastes no time with preambles and expositions, but instead thrusts you directly into the story. This may present a problem to kids who are not familiar with the Madagascar franchise, but they will eventually pick up on the story. For its 90-minute run time, the movie moves along very quickly, not leaving time to get bored. On top of all the colourful action, and "kiddie" humor, there are plenty of witty and clever jokes and puns that many adults and teenagers will find funny. One clever ongoing gag (that I won't spoil) still has me chuckling whenever I think about it. Many of the film's messages are delivered through the genuinely adorable character "Private", who had many of the kids and even teenagers saying "awww" on multiple occasions. This movie is much better than what I was expecting on every level. The action is fun, the humor is clever, and the characters are worth cheering for, and I highly recommend that you see this, whether you're a kid, a parent, or in between.