The original “Madagascar” film hit theaters in May of 2005. Comprised of an all-star cast including Ben Stiller and Chris Rock, it ascended to the top of the box office and has direct sequels to its name.

Movie-goers easily forget plots, especially when it comes to younger audiences, and the creators of “Penguins of Madagascar” (Rated PG; 92 min) should have thought about that when making it.

The animated picture is a children’s film directed by Eric Darnell and Simon J. Smith and stars Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights and Benedict Cumberbatch.

The adorable and naïve penguins are at it again. Skipper, Kowalski, Private and Rico (played by McGrath, Miller, Knights and Conrad Vernon) still occupy the circus from the last film but want more adventure in their lives. They leave the circus and break into Fort Knox for the thrill of it.

While in the base, Dave (played by John Malkovich), an octopus with a vengeance against the penguins, kidnaps them. They are saved by a group called the North Wind, an elite group of winter animal agents with the agenda to protect other winter animals. Together, they form a rocky alliance to defeat Dave before he unleashes his disastrous plan.

“Penguins of Madagascar,” was released into theaters too little too late. Much like the “Sin City” franchise, which released a sequel earlier this year, it came nine years too late. Yet, a savior arises early on in this movie.

A prime cast of actors helps this movie. The talents of actors like Cumberbatch, Malkovich and Ken Jeong make up for the lack of name awareness.

These three actors do not play a main character. Malkovich is the villain and Cumberbatch and Jeong are part of the North Wind. They all steal the show giving elevating performances. Malkovich brings about his classic villainous nature, only getting dumbed down a few times for the younger audience. He also perforates humor throughout, making his character relatable.

Cumberbatch and Jeong inhabit their roles, no matter how ridiculous they become. They humanize characters who are not human to begin with. When it comes to voice acting, many non-voice actors fail pretty hard. These two make their characters more than what appears on screen.

Reaching an older audience is commonplace in the children’s entertainment world. Hidden meanings and smart writing are spread out through these pieces to entertain parents as well. It has become a cliché now to do this. A film has to reach another level of intelligence to be genuine.

“Penguins of Madagascar” does not go the full mile, but it admirably tries to be different. Its humor and themes hit audiences both young and old. Puns involving actor’s names and references to faults of the original films are just some of the ways the uniqueness flourishes.

This movie does not go to the level of other intelligent children’s fiction. It does not fully go beyond its age level constraints and it bores sporadically. Bring your kids to a matinee show, and then completely forget about it. They will too.

Stars: 3 out of 5