Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Alex (Ben Stiller), Marty (Chris Rock), Melman (David Schwimmer), and Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith) prepare to head home to Manhattan in a rickety aircraft piloted by the inventive penguins. But when they crash land in the African savannah, things get interesting when Alex has a surprise family reunion.

I didn't think the first film was that great, but I found myself laughing out loud on many occasions with this sequel. The penguins are hilarious with their antics, and King Julian (Sacha Baron Cohen) keeps things entertaining with his musical prowess.

Dreamworks knocked one out of the park with Kung Fu Panda, and Madagascar 2 looks just as good with its breathtaking presentation. Every meticulous detail is revealed—from every hair on Alex's mane to the lifelike eyes in every animated character. Colors leap off the screen, even in the barren African desert. This AVC encode is flawless in its execution.

The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack is no slouch with its boisterous sound design, wide dynamics, and crisp dialog. Discrete effects populate the track from every speaker, especially during the plane's emergency landing. The LFE channel packs quite a punch, but it doesn't reach the infrasonic level of some other tracks I've heard on Blu-ray. On the other hand, the active surrounds created a completely encompassing soundfield.

Dreamworks has consistently delivered excellent bonus features on its Blu-ray releases and continues the trend here. There are two separate audio commentaries, a trivia track, a slew of behind-the-scenes featurettes, music videos, a game, and two shorts featuring the penguins of Madagascar—all in high definition!

Dreamworks animation is mostly known for the Shrek franchise, but Madagascar 2 has given the studio another peg to hang their hat on. The story is entertaining, and the presentation is even better. Recommended for families.

Release Date: February 6, 2009
Studio: Dreamworks

Movie: 7/10
Picture: 10/10
Sound: 9/10

Review System

Source
Panasonic DMP-BD55

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 Amplifier
Belkin PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics