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As a cub, Alex the Lion was called
Alakay and was the son of Zuba, the alpha lion. Though Zuba tries to teach
Alakay to be a hunter, the cub is more interested in dancing. When another
lion named Makunga challenges Zuba to a fight for the position of alpha
lion, Alakay is captured by poachers. Though Zuba tries to rescue his son,
Alakay is forced into a crate. Zuba is shot in the ear when he tries to
rescue Alakay. The crate falls into the ocean where it drifts to New York.
There, Alakay is renamed Alex and sent to the Central Park Zoo where he
grew up, meeting Marty, Melman, and Gloria.
In the present time, Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, King Julien, Maurice and
Skipper and his fellow penguins board a repaired airplane in the hopes of
using it to fly back to New York. Mort tries to board the plane but King
Julien doesn't want him on board and locks him outside. The plane takes
off and starts with a relaxing journey, Alex spots Mort clinging to the
wing of the plane and waves to him (causing Mort to wave back and fall off
the wing into the sea). The plane soon ends up crash-landing in
continental Africa when it runs out of fuel. In Africa the animals are
amazed to find more of their kind. Alex is reunited with Zuba and his
mother. Marty quickly fits into a herd of zebra who all look, sound, and
talk exactly like him. Melman takes on the position of witch doctor
amongst the animals. Gloria, interested in finding a mate, attracts the
attention of a smooth-talking but shallow hippo named Moto Moto.
Meanwhile, the penguins set about repairing the plane. They carjack
several jeeps from New Yorkers on vacation, leaving the tourists stranded
and lost in the jungle. Taking charge of the group is Nana, a tough old
woman known for having beaten up Alex before he was first shipped out of
New York, reminding them that they are New Yorkers and always survive.
The next morning Mort washes up on the shore of Africa and sets off to
find King Julien, only to be chased by a shark.
Unfortunately, life in Africa is not as wonderful as it first seems.
Makunga, still determined to take the position of alpha lion, reminds Zuba
that Alex must complete a traditional lion coming-of-age challenge. Alex,
thinking that the challenge is a dance contest (it is actually a fight)
competes against the strongest lion, "Teetsie" (who was recommended by
Makunga) and loses quickly. To avoid being forced to banish Alex for
failing, Zuba is forced to abdicate and Makunga immediately takes the
position and banishes Alex and his family, much to Zuba's anger at Alex.
Marty, meanwhile begins to feel upset that all of the zebras are exactly
the same as him, leaving him with nothing unique. Melman is happy as a
witch doctor until he learns that he has the same spot that had apparently
caused the previous witch doctor to die. Melman is also upset about Gloria
dating Moto Moto, as Melman has secretly loved her for a long time. Gloria
goes on a date with Moto Moto, in a lake, and quickly realizes that he
only loves her for her body.
The next day, the animals are in a panic when they discover that the
watering hole has dried up. Determined to make up for his earlier failure,
Alex and Marty decide to risk being shot by hunters and leave the reserve
to discover what happened. The pair discover that the stranded New
Yorkers, under the instruction of Nana, have dammed the river and built a
primitive civilization. Alex is captured and Marty runs for help.
Meanwhile, Zuba hears from Makunga what Alex did and goes to rescue him.
King Julien suggests that the animals sacrifice one of themselves into the
volcano to appease the water gods and regain their water supply. Believing
that he will die soon, Melman volunteers to be sacrificed. Gloria stops
him just in time and Marty arrives to tell them of Alex's fate. The trio,
the penguins, and several chimpanzees use the newly-fixed plane to come to
the rescue. Alex meanwhile manages to rescue both himself and his father
by dancing for the New Yorkers, who quickly recognize him from the zoo.
The other animals rescue the lions with the plane and destroy the dam,
freeing the water. Meanwhile, back at the volcano, King Julien complains
to Maurice about the sacrifice plan not working ("The science seemed so
solid"). Mort turns up and is overjoyed to see King Julien, although
Julien is less than thrilled to see him. The shark that was chasing Mort
also arrives but falls into the volcano, completing the sacrifice (with
Maurice saying "I hope the gods like Seafood") and causing King Julien to
think that he brought back the water. As the watering hole restores,
Makunga angrily reminds Alex and Zuba that all this won't change anything.
However, Alex manages to remove Makunga from power by tricking Nana into
attacking him and she drags him back to the other marooned tourists. Zuba
makes Alex the alpha lion.
The movie ends as Skipper marries a "bobble-head hula doll from the plane"
and leaves on a honeymoon in Monte Carlo with the lemars, leaving Alex,
Marty, Melman, and Gloria to happily remain in Africa with Alex's parents. |
