id ays ." ▁Ign ati y ▁V ish ne vet sky ▁of ▁The ▁A . V . ▁Club ▁gave ▁the ▁film ▁a ▁B , ▁saying ▁" F ren etic ▁and ▁frequently ▁fun ny , ▁P engu ins ▁Of ▁Mad agas car ▁represents ▁the ▁Dream Work s ▁An imation ▁franch ise ▁style — which ▁bo ils ▁down ▁to ▁self - aware , ▁but ▁na ï ve , ▁talking ▁animals ▁who ▁learn ▁kid - friend ly ▁life ▁less ons — at ▁its ▁most ▁pal atable ." ▁Ben ▁Ken igs berg ▁of ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁gave ▁the ▁film ▁a ▁positive ▁review , ▁saying ▁" The ▁lack ▁of ▁original ity ▁is ▁offset ▁by ▁she er ▁s ill iness , ▁including ▁Class ified ▁and ▁Ski pper ' s ▁Abb ott ▁and ▁Cost ello - style ▁argument ▁over ▁whether ▁there ' s ▁a ▁long ▁I ▁in ▁' d ivers ion .' ▁The ▁word ▁fits ▁the ▁movie ." ▁ ▁Bill ▁Zwe cker ▁of ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Sun - Times ▁gave ▁the ▁film ▁three ▁out ▁of ▁four ▁stars , ▁saying ▁" Once ▁again ▁the ▁Mad agas car ▁team ▁have ▁come ▁up ▁with ▁a ▁winner   – ▁a ▁nice ▁way ▁to ▁kick ▁off ▁the ▁Thanks g iving ▁and ▁hol iday ▁film going ▁experience ▁for ▁the ▁whole ▁family ." ▁Lou ▁L umen ick ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Post ▁gave ▁the ▁film ▁one ▁out ▁of ▁four ▁stars , ▁saying ▁" P engu ins ▁of ▁Mad agas car ▁is ▁a ▁lazy , ▁no isy ▁AD HD - add led ▁collection ▁of ▁animated ▁cl ich és