Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- frantic
- irreverent
- witty
- family movie night
- children's party
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film colorful and energetic enough for young children, but overly frantic and silly for older viewers.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private operate as a covert bird team alongside the North Wind against Dr. Octavius Brine.
Penguins, wolves, and an octopus occupy specialized espionage roles and pursue global criminal schemes.
The film uses a vivid animated palette and frenetic spy-action set pieces to sustain child-friendly energy.
The penguin team and the North Wind unite to stop Dr. Octavius Brine from destroying the world.
Films like Penguins of Madagascar, and why
The Bad Guys
fast-paced animated spy spoof with anthropomorphic animal heroes, colorful action, and broad comedy
Spies in Disguise
family-friendly animated adventure combining secret-agent antics, ensemble humor, and vibrant global settings
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
high-energy DreamWorks-style animation centered on comedic animal characters and exaggerated action set pieces
Over the Hedge
brightly colored animated adventure with eccentric animal protagonists, slapstick humor, and a world-threatening villain
Movie Details
- Directors
- Simon J. Smith, Eric Darnell
- Release Date
- 2014-11-22
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (4590)
Cast
- Tom McGrath
- Chris Miller
- Christopher Knights
- Conrad Vernon
- John Malkovich
- Benedict Cumberbatch
- Ken Jeong
- Annet Mahendru
- Peter Stormare
- Andy Richter
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Penguins of Madagascar about?
- A quartet of elite penguin operatives joins forces with a wolf-led spy agency to thwart an octopus villain in a riotous global cartoon adventure.
- What is Penguins of Madagascar like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Penguins of Madagascar as breakneck, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Penguins of Madagascar violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Penguins of Madagascar as mild.
- What did critics think of Penguins of Madagascar?
- Critics broadly found the film colorful and energetic enough for young children, but overly frantic and silly for older viewers.
- Which films are like Penguins of Madagascar?
- Films with a similar feel include The Bad Guys, Spies in Disguise, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, and Over the Hedge.
- How long is Penguins of Madagascar?
- Penguins of Madagascar runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Penguins of Madagascar?
- In United States, Penguins of Madagascar is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
