Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

After a brief flashback prologue where we see how the young lion Alex (Ben Stiller) is separated from his father Zuba (Bernie Mac), inadvertently ending up in the Big Apple, the story returns to present day as our favorite New York zoo denizens prepare to take off from Madagascar in a crudely constructed airplane, piloted by the penguins and propelled by slingshot. Unfortunately for Alex, lovelorn giraffe Melman (David Schwimmer), fast talking zebra Marty (Chris Rock) and svelte hippo Gloria (Jada Pinkett-Smith), instead of landing in NYC, the aircraft sputters and crash lands right in the middle of Africa, where they run into a world of exotic creatures. This also includes Alex’s long lost dad and mom. Happy reunion? Not quite. Zuba’s nemesis Mukunga (Alec Baldwin) insists they follow lion pride lore, which means Alex must go through a rite of passage -- one he is sure to fail if Mukunga has his way. Meanwhile, Marty tries to integrate into a pack of zebras; Gloria gets hooked up with a soulful hippo (will.i.am); and Melman is up to his neck looking for love. Oh, and they also all have to save the Kenya preserve from a life-threatening water shortage. No biggie!