"You don't see that on Animal Planet."

Ben Stiller has a hit-or-miss problem. When he is working on a film that he is passionate about or is working with actors that he respects, he is on, and can produce great, great comedy, such as in Meet The Parents, Reality Bites, or Keeping The Faith. But when he isn't passionate about something, or doesn't particularly care who he is working with, we get, well, Along Came Polly and Envy. In this, it's becoming pretty apparent to me that Stiller was very fond of his co-stars; David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Chris Rock. The film (which, coincidentally, has been on the Top Ten at the box office since it's debut on May 27th) centers around four animals (Rock, Schwimmer, Stiller and Pinkett-Smith, as a Zebra, Girraffe, Lion and Hippo, respectively) in the Central Park Zoo on Marty The Zebra's (Rock) birthday, who is going through something of a mid-life crisis. One escape attempt and an environmental protest later, the foursome find themeselves in what they first believe to be San Diego, but is really Madagascar. Here, they must reforge shattered friendships and deal with their previously untapped jungle instincts. The film is a rare treat worthy of a place in the Pixar/Dreamworks hall of fame, with all of it's Shrek and Finding Nemo glories. With some of the most astute pop-culture references (watch for a hilarious parody of American Beauty involving steaks) wry observational humor, (sit back and enjoy the banter between two intelligent monkeys, such as "I hear Tom Wolfe's speaking at Lincoln Center. [Phil signs frantically] Well, of course we're going to throw poo at him!" and the misadventures of four Monty Python-esque penguins) and brilliant cameo spots from Sacha Baron Cohen (Da Ali G), Cedric The Entertainer, and Andy Richter, it leaves one to wonder exactly who the filmmakers intended this to be enjoyed by. Well, the answer at least in this case, was seven teenagers with whom I saw the film. It is the rare kid's cartoon that seeks to be a film rather than the preamble to an advertising campaign. A.