--- title: "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/madagascar-escape-2-africa/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/madagascar-escape-2-africa" critics_score: 56 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008): what the critics said Critics' score 56 from 12 reviews: 3 positive, 6 mixed, 3 negative. The reviews lean towards a mixed assessment of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, with praise clustering around the supporting characters rather than the story. The penguins repeatedly emerge as a source of laughs, while the broader visual and verbal comedy earns qualified approval. Animation is another modest strength, described as lively or skilfully handled rather than innovative. Even several critics with reservations find the sequel endearing or pleasant enough to entertain children. The main complaints concern a thin, overcrowded story, familiar family tensions and an uncertain balance between sentiment and parody. Critics differ sharply on whether the gags compensate: Eye for Film enjoys the rush of jokes, while The Guardian finds the sequel disappointing and its plot derivative of The Lion King. The spread is substantial, though mixed notices outnumber either positive or negative ones. The recurring reservation is that appealing comic characters have too little room in a less rewarding central story. ## Evening Standard — The Standard Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The critic finds the film tame compared with Ben Stiller’s other mainstream projects, but says it never talks down to its audience. They single out its treatment of animal appetites and inter-species romance as interesting. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/escape-2-africa-is-ready-for-roaring-success-7411572.html) ## Screen Daily — John Hazelton Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 3 November 2008. The page identifies this as a review, but the critic’s assessment is unavailable in the visible text. No specific praise or criticism can be verified from the accessible material. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/madagascar-escape-2-africa/4041720.article) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 7 November 2008. The review’s verdict and its specific praise or criticism cannot be verified from the accessible page. The page displays only an instruction to enable JavaScript and disable ad blocking. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/movies/07mada.html) ## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager Rating 2.5/4. 6 November 2008. Schager finds the sequel overstuffed and uneven, but still endearing. He praises its vibrant animation and innocuously rollicking comedy. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/madagascar-escape-2-africa/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Kirk Honeycutt Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 2 November 2008. Honeycutt finds the sequel pleasant and entertaining for children, though far from pioneering and somewhat forgettable. He singles out its serviceable, skillful animation and goofy use of pop songs as modest strengths. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/madagascar-escape-2-africa-125080/) ## Time Out — Derek Adams Rating 3/5. 2 December 2008. The critic says the sequel is better than the original, but only marginally. The review singles out that slight improvement as its main distinction. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/madagascar-escape-2-africa) ## Empire — Ian Nathan Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 16 April 2008. Nathan finds the sequel pleasing but diminished, with its script struggling to balance sentiment and parody. He praises the penguin-manned plane crash and zebra-mentality gag, but complains that overcrowding leaves too little room for the penguins and lemurs. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/madagascar-escape-2-africa-review/) ## Radio Times — Dave Aldridge Rating 2/5. A promising opening gives way to a sequel that runs out of gas. The review praises the scene-stealing penguins but criticizes the story’s tired family-bonding and rivalry themes. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-y2qy0z/madagascar-escape-2-africa/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 5 December 2008. Bradshaw finds the sequel frankly disappointing and opportunistic. He criticizes its thin plot for shamelessly copying The Lion King. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/dec/05/review-madagascar-escape-2-africa) ## Eye for Film — Tony Sullivan Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 12 November 2008. Sullivan had a thoroughly good time and finds the film an entertaining rush of visual and verbal gags. He especially praises the penguins, who steal every scene they appear in. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/madagascar-escape-2-africa-film-review-by-tony-sullivan) ## Paste — Josh Jackson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 November 2008. Jackson finds the film fun, though its story is thin and not particularly rich. He singles out the quirky secondary characters, especially the penguins, as a source of its humor and appeal. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/ben-stiller/madagascar-2-escape-2-africa) ## Digital Spy — Alex Fletcher Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 30 November 2008. The critic finds the sequel merely adequate, faulting its weak story, slapdash script, and lack of laughs. They praise the surreal scenes led by King Julien and the penguins as the film’s highlights. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a136767/madagascar-escape-2-africa/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/madagascar-escape-2-africa.md