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Madagascar poster

Madagascar

Movie 2005 86 min Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family Reviewed by Dan S · Checked 14 Oct 2019
Official Rating PG ClearAge 8+

Why our age differs

Official is PG. We nudge to 8 because Alex turning into a wild, hungry predator who eyes his best friend as food can frighten younger children

What we flagged

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Violence
Mild
Frightening
Mild

Our take

Madagascar is a lively cartoon about zoo friends who end up far from home. Chases and comic threats stay bloodless, but Alex becomes hungry, wild-eyed, and briefly sees his friend as food. Snapping fossa also bring a few scares. Friendship and loyalty carry the story back to warmth. We put it at around 8 and up, with reassurance for younger children during Alex's frightening stretch.

Uplifting themes

The heart of it is loyalty and self-control, as Alex fights his instincts to protect the friends he loves. Sticking together, forgiving each other, and finding home run all the way through The four friends mess up and squabble, but keep choosing each other in the end. They model teamwork and loyalty, even when the wild makes it hard There are light touches of real animal behavior and geography, like predator and prey, the move from a city zoo to the wild, and the island itself

Story (may spoil tone)

Four animal friends get a taste of the wild life when they break out of captivity at the Central Park Zoo and wash ashore on the island of Madagascar.

What we flagged

View all categories

Violence
Mild
Frightening
Mild

Details

Violence Mild Most of the action is cartoon chasing and slapstick, plus comic threats…

Most of the action is cartoon chasing and slapstick, plus comic threats to 'kill' each other between the friends. It turns briefly tense when a hungry Alex goes wild and lunges at Marty, and when toothy fossa attack

Frightening Mild Alex becomes wild with hunger and briefly sees his friends as food. Fos…

Alex becomes wild with hunger and briefly sees his friends as food. Fossa attacks and a few nightmare references add mild scares, but the danger passes quickly

Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.

We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.

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Talk after watching

  • Alex has to fight his own instincts to keep his friends safe. When is it hardest for your child to control a strong urge?
  • The friends argue but stick together. What does being a loyal friend look like in your family?

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