"Madagascar" is no "Shrek."

Dreamworks From left: Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) have to stick together when they find themselves washed ashore in a strange land in "Madagascar." Click photo for larger image. Related article: 'Madagascar' animators made the fur fly "Madagascar" Rating: PG for mild language, crude humor and some thematic elements Starring: Voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock Directors: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath "Madagascar" Web site Family Film Guide review of "Madagascar" A review from a family perspective Rated: PG. Suitable for: Preschoolers and older. What you should know: This is from the studio that gave us "Shrek," but it skews younger. It's about four Central Park Zoo animals who end up marooned on Madagascar. Language: A character uses the old "Sugar Honey Iced Tea" line, monkeys make jokes about throwing poo and a sign attempting to spell out "Help" comes out "Hell." Sexual situations/nudity: None. Violence/scary situations: Most of the violence is cartoonish and it's more disturbing than frightening to watch the suddenly savage lion eye his pal, a zebra, as possible food. A skeleton is shown, attached to a parachute. Fossas, who prey on lemurs, are scary looking. Alcohol and drug use: Champagne is popped and a tranquilizer dart prompts a hallucinogenic haze. More Family Film Guide reviews

Of course "Shrek 2" was no "Shrek," even though the sequel was the runaway hit of summer 2004 and the third highest grossing movie of all time.

"Madagascar" has dazzling, detailed animation -- the lion alone is a veritable work of art -- but the story skews younger than its DreamWorks predecessors, "Shrek" and "Shark Tale." It's almost two separate movies, with the first part set in the linear jungle of New York City and the second among the lemurs in lush Madagascar.

The movie opens in the Central Park Zoo, home of Alex the lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) and Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith).

Alex is absolutely king of this jungle, the top tourist attraction who loves nothing more than a full house on field trip day. Marty, on the other hand, is turning 10 and feeling blue, in addition to his usual black and white. "Another year come and gone and I'm still doing the same old thing," he laments. Melman is a hypochondriac, while Gloria is the full-figured mother of the gang.

Like prison breakout artists, the zoo penguins are trying to tunnel their way out, which inspires Marty to go AWOL. His getaway doesn't go as planned, and all four animals (plus the penguins and a couple of monkeys) end up on the loose in Manhattan and, eventually, on a ship bound for their natural habitat.

Once again, the penguins mastermind a change in plans, and Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria find themselves in Madagascar. There, the king is a lemur (Sacha Baron Cohen), his subjects are afraid of animals called fossas and Alex starts dreaming of meat that's still attached to Marty's hindquarters.

By trying to appeal to all ages, "Madagascar" contains humor for adults -- for instance, a signature "Planet of the Apes" line is recycled and sanitized -- and for children, with erudite monkeys making "poo" jokes and a little lemur with such big eyes he belongs in a 1960s Keane waif painting.

"Madagascar" addresses the animals adjusting to their new lives and Alex unexpectedly getting in touch with his savage side. That leads to a squirm-inducing (comic) moment when Alex dreams about the sort of steak he ate regularly in New York and then realizes he's licking Marty.

In the wild, of course, the lion is the predator and the zebra his prey. But in "Madagascar," when Stiller speaks for the lion and Rock for the zebra, it's a bit creepy or downright icky.

"Madagascar" boasts animation that is splendid and magical, with beautifully rendered beaches, palm trees and exotic flowers. The story, with its themes about friendship and finding yourself in the jungle, is less successfully realized.

Or maybe it's the presence of all those lemurs and, especially, the fossas with their green eyes, dangling tongues, long tails and bodies that look like a cross between a dog and a cat. There is a reason they're sometimes considered the "world's strangest predator."

It's a challenge to be all things to all audience members. When you try, you end up with peripatetic penguins, lovable lemurs and cracks about cheap medicine in Canada, but during a rainy weekend, it's far more appropriate than, say, "Revenge of the Sith" for young moviegoers.

For parents looking for the right movie match, it can be a jungle out there.