Rated PG for mild action and some rude humor.
Starring the voices of Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Benedict Cumberbatch, Christopher Knights, Ken Jeong, Peter Stormare and John Malkovich
Directed by Eric Darnell and Simon J. Smith (Madagascar)
If you love wise cracking animated characters, Penguins of Madagascar is perfect for you.
In Penguins of Madagascar, audiences will discover the secrets of the most entertainingly mysterious birds in the global espionage game. Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private now must join forces with the chic spy organization, the North Wind, led by Agent Classified (we could tell you his name, but then… you know) to stop the cunning villain Dr. Octavius Brine from taking over the world.
When I first heard they were making this spin-off from the Madagascar franchise, I was really excited. The Penguins are my favorite characters! They had the best lines, stories and energy and now they have the best movie (in the franchise).
The Skipper (Tom McGrath), Kowalski (Chris Miller) and Rico (Conrad Vernon) bring all the sarcasm, wise-cracks and slap-stick from the original films. They also discover an egg, and welcome Private (Christopher Knights) into the world. But like all sequels and spinoffs, there are some new characters. And Penguins of Madagascar brings a hysterical villain, Dave the Octopus (John Malkovich) as well as the special agent ‘classified’ (Benedict Cumberbatch) to the story.
Directors, Darnell and Smith are unrelenting with jokes and one-liners, making it near impossible not to enjoy it. Well unless you are looking for a deep, sophisticated story, because this film doesn’t have a strong one.
So don’t expect too much and you will be entertained. I thought this movie was at least worth a score of “Rental.”
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Yes, this one is great for the whole family.
CONVERSATION STARTER:
- What does Skipper tell the newly hatched Private? (“You’ve got us, and we’ve got each other. And if that ain’t a family, I don’t know what is.)
- How can “friends” become “family”?
- What kind of friend sticks closer than a brother?
- What can you do to be that kind of friend?
Read Proverbs 18:24
There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.