This time around, the “Madagascar” zoo critters* voiced by Ben Stiller and Chris Rock are on the lam in Europe, where they join a circus*.

    “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” is a high-flying* trapeze act with enough funny business. It’s a wonder the folks behind this zillion-dollar franchise* about zoo critters on the lam did not send the animals to the circus sooner.

    All the big-time voices are back, with Stiller reprising Alex the lion, the de facto leader of the band. Rock remains impossibly optimistic as Marty the zebra.

    Jada Pinkett Smith’s Gloria the hippo is still keeping it real and David Schwimmer’s Melman the giraffe continues his fussing*. It’s an appealing collection of personalities, although it would not be enough if the penguins and the chimps* were not around creating havoc*, which they are.

    The Central Park Zoo in New York — the gang’s home and the starting point for their first adventure in 2005 — is still their destination, and pop culture is once again up for roasting to try to keep grown-ups from squirming*. But “Madagascar 3,” like its predecessors*, is mostly about the ups and downs of a friendship of the playground variety — the better to keep little ones giggling.

    The film opens in the African desert where the zoo critters ended up in 2008’s “Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa.” The pull of home is getting stronger and soon the penguins and monkeys make a mad dash to a Monte Carlo casino to pick up some fast cash — they want it to pay to patch the plane to get the whole gang back to New York.

    The antics* have a familiar feel that comes from having a very stable cast and crew. Directors Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath have been there since the beginning, and this time they are joined by Conrad Vernon, a DreamWorks regular.

    No doubt more hands were needed to try to get some control over the screenplay by Noah Baumbach and Darnell.

    The story lurches* around Europe, from Rome to the Alps, slipping into the Colosseum, lifting coins from casinos, riding all manner of trains and dispensing little nuggets* of wisdom in the dialogue along the way.

    Although the critters want to get home, most of their energy is expended in trying to evade French animal control’s fearsome Capitaine Chantel DuBois (Frances McDormand). Chantel proves to be an excellent villain*, with McDormand putting just enough tang in her tart French accent to creat chills and thrills.(SD-Agencies)