"Madagascar" will have you roaring, but in the right way.

The animated 'toon isn't just a should-see for those who love animals and animation. It's a should-see for anyone who enjoys a good time.

More than most of the year's live-action films, "Madagascar's" comedy grows out of character. The frequently hilarious script embraces everything that is eccentric and lovable in human ... er, uh, animal ... behavior. It's a sobering comment on contemporary films that these 'toon animals seem more fully realized than the humans who populate many live-action movies.

But not much else about "Madagascar" is sobering. The movie is a jocular, boisterous lark.

The story traces the journey of four animals, star attractions at the Central Park Zoo who find themselves transported to the African isle of Madagascar. Lion king Alex (voiced by Ben Stiller) is an exuberant feline who exalts in being the zoo's center of attention. Once back in his natural jungle habitat, he emits roars of carnivorous hunger that make his pals extremely nervous.

Chief among his cronies is bewildered zebra Marty (Chris Rock). Having just celebrated his 10th birthday, Marty feels the pangs of acute mid-life crisis and wonders what life would be like beyond the zoo gates. His wanderlust sets the plot in motion. Rounding out the lead quartet are plainspoken hippo Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith), who speaks truths no one wants to hear, and neurotic hypochondriac giraffe Melman (David Schwimmer), who never found an ailment he didn't call his own.

But these are not the only foursome in sight. A delicious quartet of penguins also propels much of the action, and these fellows are slippery in every sense of the word. And once in the jungle, a legion of lemurs joins the fun with the spirit of true party animals.The crowd scenes, whether human, animal or eclectic, are generated with divine enthusiasm and individuality. All these creatures, great and small, help make "Madagascar" funnier than a barrel of monkeys.The computer-generated animation gives each character and each setting a sense of individuality. The film's opening segments occur in a gloriously drawn Manhattan, barren of trees but filled with concrete glamour. You'll occasionally miss the traditional beauty of hand-drawn animation, particularly when viewing the jungle's CGI flora and fauna. But you must sternly remind yourself that "Madagascar" isn't concerned with hearts and flowers as much as wit and merriment.The screenplay percolates with mildly ribald humor and frequent pop-culture references. Some of the latter are wickedly funny, while others, such as a rephrasing of "The Planet of the Apes'" final line, will be greeted with snickers and moans.The script's main flaw is a surprisingly flat finale, consisting of a lame bit of dialogue just before the film's clever closing credits. But the 80 minutes spent getting to that conclusion are among the cleverest in animation history.