Metacritic reviews

Escape 2 Africa is pretty tame, but it knows how to keep its own turf tidy.

The visual style is typical, ultra crisp computer animation, bright, sharp, somewhat clinical.

This is a brighter, more engaging film than the original "Madagascar."

Cartoons can get away with being serviceable and skillful without much creativity since they have an endlessly renewing audience. "Mad 2" surfs along on such waves, entertaining youngsters while mildly amusing adults.

Lively and quite funny without being obnoxious, this follow-up smoothly mixes the original's New York Zoo escapees with a number of engaging new characters.

Funniest movie of '08? Close enough, for those who don't mind monkeying around.

Young children will enjoy this piece of sweet cartoon candy.

Dilutes the idea some by giving every four-legged hero a story arc. And there's not enough of the first movie's super-erudite monkeys. Yet the sitcom-style silliness is still there, and it's nice to see that the old "grin or frown as you wave a hand across your face" joke still has cross-generational, and cross-species, appeal.

Take the flat tire that was "Madagascar." Retread it with "The Lion King" storyline. Pump it up with air. Now you have Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.

When it comes to time-wasting memory games, crossword puzzles are more fun than this movie.