Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted parents guide

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted Parent Guide

With a darker villain and numerous moments of peril for the characters, this story isn't for younger viewers.

Overall B-

New York Zoo's most famous escapees are trying to get home. But to do so they have to go undercover on a circus train traveling across Europe in order to escape from the cold-hearted animal control officer Captain Chantel DuBois.

Release date June 8, 2012

Violence C+
Sexual Content B
Profanity B+
Substance Use B+

Why is Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted rated PG? The MPAA rated Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted PG for some mild action and rude humor.

Run Time: 94 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

Still on the lam from New York City’s Central Park Zoo, Alex the lion (voice by Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (voice by Chris Rock), Gloria the hefty hippo (voice by Jada Pickett Smith) and Melman the anxious giraffe (voice by David Schwimmer) have had enough of their folly and are ready to head back to the pampered confines of their enclosures.

But direct flights from the African Serengeti, where they landed in their last adventure, don’t exist. And the only plane out—one patched together by a passel of penguins—has just taken off for Monte Carlo. Once there, the wily birds plan to clean house at the principality’s famous casino.

After waiting weeks for their return, the four friends decide to hoof it across Africa and all the way to the luxurious gambling resort to meet up with their black and white pals. However, the large, free-roaming zoo animals cause quite a stir when the drop in at the ritzy establishment. As the guests go screaming from the game tables, the head of security summons the notorious, gun-slinging, animal control specialist Captain Chantel DuBois (voice by Frances McDormand).

The Captain’s idea of control involves decapitating and mounting her preys’ heads on her office wall. The one bare spot remaining is reserved for the king of the beasts himself. With animal instincts (that include sniffing the trail like a hound dog and lapping up pooled water from their paw prints), she loads her tranquilizer gun and sets off in search of the errant critters.

Since it’s hard to hide in a crowd, Alex and the others look for a way to surreptitiously traverse the European continent. Their answer arrives in the form of a circus train. Pretending to be entertainers themselves, the foursome and their tag along pals scurry aboard just in time to avoid the Captain. But after a dismal performance at the train’s first stop, Alex recognizes the show needs an overhaul if the group ever hopes to win a contract to appear in New York.

With the same humor as the two previous movies (Madagascar and Madagascar Escape 2 Africa), this script combines kids jokes with adult oriented quips that include mild crude humor and brief sexual innuendos. However the bigger problem may be the frequent use of weapons—particularly tranquilizer guns. Both animals and humans are shot at close range. Given the opportunity, the Captain also attempts to cut off Alex’s head with a handsaw while he is groggy. And thanks to the film’s 3D effects, explosions and flying objects appear to hurl into the audience on a regular basis.

With a darker villain and numerous moments of peril for the characters, this story isn’t for younger viewers. But then neither is the lyrics of Katie Perry’s featured song “Fireworks”, which seems to be getting as much play time in the movies as on the radio. While her tune may be catchy, be prepared to have the more annoying circus afro ditty rolling around your head long after you’ve left the theater.

Directed by Eric Darnell. Starring Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer. Running time: 94 minutes. Theatrical release June 8, 2012. Updated

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
Rating & Content Info

Why is Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted rated PG? Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted is rated PG by the MPAA for some mild action and rude humor.

Violence: Hotel guests trash their rooms. A character believes the pillows are stuffed with baby birds. One character stuffs pencils into his facial orifices. Car chases result in accidents and explosions. A woman slaps a man and shoots numerous other characters with tranquilizers. Characters are hit with objects. Fish are thrown out on the road to stop pursuers. Characters experience frequent moments of peril, including hanging from a plane and falling into a swimming pool. A plane crashes. The stuffed heads of numerous animals are mounted on an office wall. A character throws knives at others. A train almost hits a person. Two characters steal the Pope’s ring. Animals fight with broken bottles and other weapons. Characters are stuffed into a cannon packed with dynamite. A woman attempts to cut off an animal’s head with a handsaw. Numerous moments of cartoon violence and peril are depicted.

Sexual Content: A reference is made about people who take off their clothes. A lemur falls in love with a bear and makes advances toward her. Several of their scenes include some sexual innuendo.

Language: The script contains some name-calling and the use of a profanity substitution.

Alcohol / Drug Use: Drinks are shown in a casino. A character nurses his disappointments with “borscht”. Characters are under the influence of tranquilizers.

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Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted Parents' Guide

Why do Marty and Alex argue about who is the leader of the group? What responsibilities come with leadership? What sacrifices does a leader need to make for the others?

The script makes several jokes about the French and Canadians. How might people from those countries view these jabs?

What do the animals discover about their old home? How can our perspective’s change with new experiences? What lessons have the four friends learned about themselves and each other while on their travels?

Cirque du Soleil is a Canadian entertainment group famous for its circus arts, acrobatics and fantastical characters. The company, founded in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier, now performs around the world and has a permanent show in Las Vegas. Check out a preview of their shows.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted movie is October 16, 2012. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted

Release Date: 16 October 2012

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted releases to home video (Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD/UV Digital Copy) with the following extras:

- Mad Music Mash-up

- Deleted Scenes

- Circus Acts

- Big Top Cast

- Filmmakers Commentary

- Making of How to Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular arena show world tour

- Get them to the Train game

- Animators’ Corner

- Trivia Track

Related home video titles:

This movie follows up on the adventures of the animals first introduced in Madagascar and Madagascar Escape 2 Africa. In the live action film, We Bought a Zoo, a single father decides to give his children a new start when he moves them out of the city and into a zoo.

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