Film Name: 马达加斯加3 / Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
Admittedly, I’d completely forgotten the plots of Madagascar 1 and Madagascar 2. Before heading to the theater, my colleagues and I discussed them at length, yet seemingly none of us could accurately recall the broad outlines of the first two films. Perhaps it’s my poor memory, or perhaps my colleagues’ memories are equally faulty. But I know this much: such a thing would never happen with truly top-tier animated films like WALL·E or Spirited Away.
The only thing I could recall were the four all-powerful penguins in this series, possessing the judgment, planning, and execution skills of secret agents. The Madagascar penguins to the “Madagascar” franchise are like the acorn-loving squirrel to “Ice Age”—a classic example where the supporting characters outshine the protagonists, relegating them to mere extras. However, in “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,” while the penguins’ antics remain entertaining, their appeal has noticeably waned. Audiences have grown accustomed to the formula. As the saying goes, “Strike while the iron is hot; the second blow is weaker, the third exhausts the strength.” Another adage warns that the same tricks won’t work twice against the Saints. If this holds true for fictional warriors, how much more so for us real people?
Compared to its predecessors and other standout films, the plot of “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” feels somewhat disjointed. Driven by a somewhat flimsy motivation, the four protagonists set out on their adventure to return to New York. The adventure stems from two main sources: first, the relentless pursuit by a taxidermist-turned-supercop; second, a circus that has lost its purpose and drive. While using the circus to reach New York, they also help the troupe resolve some psychological issues. These are two entirely different storylines, reflecting two entirely different tastes. If the former feels fiery and exhilarating—like the kick of a fiery chili pepper—the latter is more sentimental and melancholic, like an afternoon tea that explores emotional growth, leaving you with a warm, fuzzy feeling.
Yet Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted blends these two flavors together. You might find the new taste unique and worth savoring, but to me, it feels oddly disjointed—neither flavor is pure, each clamoring for attention, resulting in a chaotic hodgepodge.
If the female police officer’s relentless pursuit of exterminating animals stems solely from her hobby of collecting specimens, then this characterization feels somewhat shallow. Why does she have this hobby? Was she harmed by animals in childhood, leading her to seek revenge through specimen collection? If this layer could be explored, it might touch upon deeper human issues. She would then cease to be a pure symbol of evil in the film, but rather a character with complex motivations—a more multidimensional person. Such profound motivations would also create a pathway for the protagonist to resolve her conflict with the policewoman through her own efforts and actions. In other words, wouldn’t it be a far better ending if someone intent on beheading lions didn’t end up utterly defeated and humiliated by the animals, but instead experienced a complete awakening of conscience? If she were transformed by the animals, finally releasing the decades-old knot in her heart, and reconciled with them—wouldn’t that be a more compelling conclusion?
Only then can the fiery chili reveal its tender, tea-like warmth, allowing the female officer’s theme of confrontation to harmoniously complement and enhance the circus’s theme of growth.
Now, regarding the circus storyline. It follows the familiar arc of psychological growth often seen in American animated blockbusters: from unwitting trust, to hurt upon learning the truth, to rebuilding mutual trust; from deceiving others out of necessity for personal gain, to facing exposure, abandonment, and the pangs of conscience, to ultimately finding common ground and uniting to overcome challenges. Every pivotal moment and its accompanying dialogue—those weighty speeches—feel like going through the motions. They tick all the boxes of this familiar formula, yet deliver nothing fresh.
For the circus members, regaining their confidence happens without even a single setback. For the protagonists, helping the circus rebuild its spirit yields no meaningful personal growth worth noting. This may stem from the circus serving merely as a secondary plotline, running parallel to the policewoman’s arc. With the film ultimately positioning the policewoman as the ultimate antagonist, there’s little room for deep characterization within the circus storyline.
The film’s most compelling segment is an animated sequence depicting a high-tech circus act. Rich in imagination and brimming with animation flair, it evokes the hallucinatory animation in Disney’s classic Dumbo. This may well be one of the few genuinely original segments in the entire film.
Judging by its overall mediocre quality and execution, a high-opening, low-closing box office trajectory seems almost inevitable.
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