The Penguins of Madagascar Unleashes 4 minutes of Hijinks!

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Debuting today is what looks like the first four minutes of Penguins of Madagascar available for fans to watch. This clip shows off the humblest and looniest of origins for the trio. Waitaminute, trio? Well, they have not recruited Private yet, and the main three — Skipper, Kowalski and Rico — are maturing chicks with a high strung desire to embark on adventures.

The threesome protects the adorably cute Private (who still has to hatch from his shell) from some ravenous seals. In what this trailer shows is how the trio are not quite the well oiled team. Just how they become a unit will no doubt be revealed in the film, but to see what they can do now is amusing in a slapstick kind of way.

The best thing about this trailer is that famed producer/director Werner Herzog narrates. People unfamiliar with this documentarian really has to simply google his name up to discover that he’s handled many a renowned documentary that explores the human condition. Other people may remember him best for the 1979 film Nosferatu the Vampyre.

The reason why Herzog was chosen to open Penguins of Madagascar is that his products are known to feature heroes with the hopes of achieving impossible dreams. When considering what the young Skipper, Kowalski and Rico aspire to, this nod is definitely made to give theatre-goers in the know a worthy chuckle.

If there are any other cameos to be found, audiences will have to wait until November 26.