Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
Metascore
60 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 26 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 26
  3. Negative: 2 out of 26
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  1. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Michael O'Sullivan
    Jun 7, 2012
    88
    It's a kid's Cirque de Soleil, for a lot less money.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    Jun 6, 2012
    83
    The story in Madagascar 3 is functional, but the antically civilized spirit is infectious.
  3. Tampa Bay Times
    Reviewed by: Steve Persall
    Jun 6, 2012
    83
    While the result isn't the greatest show on Earth, it certainly is a lot of fun.
  4. Empire
    Reviewed by: Chris Hewitt
    Oct 15, 2012
    80
    While it may blunder down the odd comedy cul-de-sac, Madagascar 3 is often inspired and very, very funny.
  5. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Andy Webster
    Jun 7, 2012
    80
    Where Madagascar 3 soars is in its visuals: A Monte Carlo chase is vertiginously madcap; a Cirque du Soleil-style spectacle dazzles with rich pastels; the 3-D effects have wit and invention. Kids will be stimulated. And, parents, you'll enjoy the sights.
  6. Time
    Reviewed by: Richard Corliss
    Jun 6, 2012
    80
    Boldly and gaily sustained the madcap momentum for the whole of its eighty-few minutes.
  7. Boxoffice Magazine
    Reviewed by: Pete Hammond
    May 23, 2012
    80
    Europe's Most Wanted is so full of laughs and great characters, it's easily the best in the series. Like "Toy Story 3," the Madagascar gang just gets better with time, and this new adventure is funny, exciting and heartwarming.
  8. Movieline
    Reviewed by: Michelle Orange
    Jun 10, 2012
    75
    Manages to surprise with a charm and wit all its own.
  9. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Alison Willmore
    Jun 6, 2012
    75
    Credit Baumbach, credit the filmmakers, credit no one giving a damn anymore - for what's yet another hyperactive talking-animal children's movie, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted is uncommonly rewarding, and a potential future stoner's delight.
  10. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Jaime N. Christley
    Jun 5, 2012
    75
    In spite of its lazy, cookie-cutter screenplay, simple narrative mechanics are only dutifully observed to the extent that they step aside to make way for numerous flights of madness.
  11. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Betsy Sharkey
    Jun 7, 2012
    70
    The animation artistry of Madagascar 3 is at its best under the big top, all cotton candy fluff and razzle dazzle. The character development of this edition is the best of the rest as well.
  12. Variety
    Reviewed by: Justin Chang
    May 26, 2012
    70
    Good-humored and endearing, full of energy and color (sometimes neon) if not quite Pixar-level invention.
  13. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marjorie Baumgarten
    Jun 6, 2012
    67
    The circus acts and the rehearsals, which are set to Katy Perry's "Fireworks," make the greatest use of the movie's 3-D capacities. Madagascar 3 may not rival the "greatest show on earth" but it's good enough to pack 'em in anyway.
  14. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Claudia Puig
    Jun 7, 2012
    63
    Hardly fresh, but it never stints on energy or vivid colors.
  15. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Tom Russo
    Jun 7, 2012
    63
    You can picture the DreamWorks corporate confab: "OK, the kids respond to move-it, move-it repetition - give us something else repetitive, and let's get herding." It wasn't just desperate, it was insulting.
  16. Total Film
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not Credited)
    Oct 1, 2012
    60
    The ghost of Tex Avery is alive and well in a frenetic sequel that does more than reheat and serve. Madagascar 4? Don't bet against it.
  17. Arizona Republic
    Reviewed by: Bill Goodykoontz
    Jun 7, 2012
    60
    Madagascar 3 has a problem: It rarely slows down enough to let us really enjoy it.
  18. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
    Reviewed by: Jennie Punter
    Jun 7, 2012
    50
    The clever lines and themes of friendship and finding home are almost completely overwhelmed here by the breathless pace and sensory overload.
  19. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Amy Biancolli
    Jun 7, 2012
    50
    Even within the rules of its own peculiar world - a world well stocked with talking savanna denizens and monkey-powered superplanes - the film is completely irrational.
  20. Wall Street Journal
    Reviewed by: Joe Morgenstern
    Jun 7, 2012
    50
    Madagascar 3 is all about exuberant motion, cute characters and gorgeous colors. It aims for the eyes, not the heart.
  21. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    Jun 6, 2012
    50
    For many adults, sitting through this will be an exercise in tedium. It offers about as much as an oversized, overlong Saturday morning cartoon and if that's where expectations are set, it probably won't disappoint. Talk about setting the bar low, though.
  22. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Eric Hynes
    Jun 5, 2012
    50
    Like a big-screen Big Gulp, this third installment of the billion-dollar animated franchise contains as much cinematic confection as an 85-minute movie can bear.
  23. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    May 26, 2012
    50
    Yes, it's a cartoon, but it's conspicuously unmodulated, with the volume set on high and the pacing all but pushed to fast-forward.
  24. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: Sam Adams
    Jun 5, 2012
    40
    Madagscar 3 is less interested in plucking the last bit of meat off the series's bones than with simply picking the lowest-hanging fruit.
  25. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Lou Lumenick
    Jun 7, 2012
    25
    This is an exhausting, eyeball-gougingly ugly 90-minute assault of non-stop action, with an all-star voice cast shouting witless lines and a wide variety of objects lobbed at the audience in the crudest 3-D fashion.
  26. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Joe Neumaier
    Jun 7, 2012
    20
    Madagascar 3 can't upgrade its own shtick, becoming a craven example of a fast-buck, no-fun family film.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 151 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 37
  3. Negative: 4 out of 37
  1. kylito
    10
    Madagascar 3: Europe's most wanted is a great family film. It has everything! The visuals are stunning, the jokes come out of nowhere, and the additional characters are hilarious. Although i wasn't a huge fan of the first two, this movie took me by surprise. It moves along at a loony tunes pace and never lets go. The climax circus scene is pure eye candy and reminds me of Elephants on Parade. Next to the Avengers, another great summer 2012 movie.… Full Review »
  2. Gamer44
    10
    Madagascar 3 is by far the best one yet the entire 93 minutes of the movie was very entertaining. The story was done to perfection the visual effects was spectacular and the animation was done brilliantly The creators of Madagascar did a really good job like I said before the story was very good and kept me very much entertained if Madagascar 3 was this good just imagine how good the next instalment will be. What I liked most was they kept the same actors to do the voices and this is one reason why madagascar 3 was so good.The music/songs they chose really suited the film everything was done to perfection.This movie is worthy of a solid 10… Full Review »
  3. frontpack
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. I'm really surprised at all of the positive reviews on this. I don't make it to a lot of movies, but this was one of the worst movies I've seen in a while. I thought the first Madagascar was decent, but didn't see the second one. Two big issues with this version: the ridiculous plot and the message it seems to be sending.

    The plot: lots of impossibilities, and they didn't seem to have any purpose rather than the animators thought these additions were amusing. The woman police officer could have been a great character, but the whole breaking through walls invincibility made her whole persona pointless and without substance. The climax of the film gave the clearest indication of this terrible plot. They basically gave up trying to show the acrobatics of Alex and Gia, instead resorting to flashes of color and flips through an endless space of black. Again, totally without substance and potentially without much effort on their part either.

    The message: The film has a group of animals first wanting to leave nature for the zoo, and then deciding instead to be in the circus. Sure it's a circus that they are directing themselves, but this was only used as a motivational piece. The circus and the zoo, two places where animals have been badly mistreated, and here's a kids movie suggesting that animals love both. There was some realization about being in the zoo by Alex, and I get the references to freedom and doing things their own way, but again this still related just to the circus. A great kids movie? I almost can't believe it.

    To those reviewers who say it's almost an insult to the viewer - I completely agree. We should be demanding a better movie than this. Instead it's been, 'O look, pretty colors.'    … Full Review »
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