PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR

US, 2014, 90 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Tom Mc Grath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, Conrad Vernon, John Malkovich, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ken Jeong, Peter Stormare, Andy Richter, Danny Jacobs and Werner Herzog.
Directed by Eric Dunnell, Simon J.Smith

Everybody enjoyed the appearances of the penguins in the three Madagascar films. They were, to say the least, disruptive. They also had a lot of zany dialogue and found themselves in all kinds of humorous, slapstick, action-filled sequences, with a propensity for undermining the plans of the key animal characters. So popular were they that a number of short films were made in which they starred and they had their own television series. Here they are again, with their own film.

In the past, the Penguin said they had never been to Antarctica. But that does not matter for this film. It re-invents their origins. In fact, the film opens with a March of the Penguins, reminding us of the documentary that was extremely popular, familiarising audiences around the world with the habits of penguins, their coping with the seasons, their march through the ice continent, then mating, their producing eggs and chicks. Here we see them in a long, long file, marching, conformed to the traditions – with a lot of dialogue indicating that they have no idea why they should be so conformist and following these traditions.

It is in this context, that Skipper questions the traditions and decides to be independent, taking with him his pals, Kowalski and Ricco. They see an egg rolling down the snow cliffs and try to save it – and from it, emerges the rather cute penguin, with the nice voice, Private. We have to acknowledge the skills of Tom Mc Grath, Christopher Knights, Conrad Vernon, Chris Miller who really do have distinctive styles to bring these penguins to lively interchanges.

The main audiences for the film will not appreciate the joke at the beginning – but film buffs who appreciate the idiosyncratic career of director, Werner Herzog, will enjoy the fact that he is the introductory voice-over, reminding audiences that he made a film about Antarctica, and that he is a director who has made extraordinary physical demands of those who appear in his films. He has some very jokey lines about documentary makers, cuteness of penguins, and is not above showing us how directors can be bit unscrupulous in engineering the scenes, by hitting the three penguins over the cliff!

The penguins encounter four international agents, led by Classified (Benedict Cumberbatch) and an assortment of animals. They are recruited to try to combat a mad Professor who wants to transform all the animals, get rid of them, starting with penguins. He is a mad scientist who transforms himself into a giant octopus, a creature who readily suggests villainy, and has crew of small octopi to do his dirty work, as well as some vast machines. After some international visits, the focus is in New York City, the transformation of penguins into mutants, the confrontation with Dave – or other names starting with D because Skipper doesn’t always remember the correct name.

And, while Herzog’s appearance might be a surprise to many, the voice of Dave is also a surprise, John Malkovich.

The agents run away at first, calling it re-grouping, but finally come to the aid of the penguins, their transformation back to normal, the vanquishing of Dave and the other octopi.

The screenplay, after all, is rather conventional, presenting a familiar enough plot, but aiming for entertainment for younger audiences rather than for their parents.

1. The popularity of the Madagascar films? The contribution of the penguins? The later short films and television series?

2. Dreamworks animation, bright colours, characters, action?

3. The quality of the voice cast?

4. The references to the past, the glimpse of the animals from Madagascar, the song Movin’ (and Skipper’s complaint that it irritates him)? The re-appearance of King Julien?

5. The opening, Antarctica, the penguins and memories of The March of the Penguins, the long line, the voices of conformism, without knowing why they were conforming? Audience response to penguins, to the Antarctic?

6. The jokes with Werner Herzog, his voice-over about Antarctica, his documentaries, his contributing to the descriptions and the penguins’ cuteness, about the action, the documentary makers appearing, giving the penguins a push?

7. The egg, its rolling down the snow, onto the boat? Skipper and his independence stances, Kowalski and his blunt expressions of the truth, Ricco and his humour? The egg falling, onto the ship, Private emerging, the eggshell, the cuteness, the ship exploding?

8. The penguins floating on the iceberg, the encounter with the group of agents? Classified and his leadership, the other members of the group, Eva, Corporal the bear, their voices, Kowalski attracted to Eva, the discussions, the chewing of the crunchy snacks? The commission, helping, the interaction between the penguins and the other creatures?

9. The mission around the world, international? Races in Venice, crashing in Hong Kong? Coming to New York?

10. The professor, mad, world domination, Dave and Skipper mixing up the names starting with D? Taking the form of an octopus? The small octopi as his minions? Anti-cuteness?

11. Assembling the penguins, in New York? His machine? Operational? The Medusa Serum? Transforming the penguins into mutants? Including Skipper, Kowalski and Ricco? Private and his not being transformed, his observing, anxiety?

12. Private, calling out to the other penguins, trying to save them, getting into the machine, running low on batteries, Ricco and is going to the shop, delaying, with the crunchy snacks?

13. Private, the last minute, the transformation and the saving of the penguins? The return of the agents and helping?

14. The character of Dave, his background, mad plans, anti-animals, to rid the world of animals? His mutating into the octopus? The octopus as the villain, tentacles, shapes, movements? His dialogue and wanting world supremacy? The small octopi and their confrontations with the penguins?

15. Private and his victory, the threat from Dave, his being caught in the globe, the little girl taking him as a souvenir?

16. The humour of the screenplay, the allusions to movies and stars?

17. But a straightforward plot, designed for entertaining young children?