"The Pack Is Back."

Four years after the first Ice Age was released, Fox finally releases its sequel and unlike most sequels, this one is actually a worthy successor to the original. With Romano, Leguizamo and Leary all reprising their roles, the writing being sharp and funny, and of course the return of Scrat, the acorn chasing squirrel, Ice Age: The Meltdown is an easy and enjoyable way of spending an hour and a half.

The plot is fairly simple. The valley in which a group of animals are living, is surrounded by glaciers that are beginning to melt. With the possibility of an impending flood, the animals head off for the other end of the valley where rumor has it there is a large boat. To add to the sense of a danger, two large carnivorous prehistoric fish are thawed out as well and they begin to follow the herd in the rising water, picking off those who stray behind.

Of course the main focus is on Manny the wooly mammoth (Romano), Sid the sloth (Leguizamo) and Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Leary). Manny is worried that he is the last of his kind, Sid is looking for a little respect and Diego comes to terms with his fear of water. Scrat, meanwhile, just wants his nut and is prepared to go through hell or high water to get it, with particular emphasize on the high water.

Manny's concern is laid a little to rest when he discovers a female mammoth named Ellie (voiced by Queen Latifah), but unfortunately for him, she's convinced that she's a possum. Sid finds the respect he's looking for when he's kidnapped by a group of mini-sloths who think he's a god, but who unfortunately also want to sacrifice him in a volcano. And Diego is forced to choose between saving his friends and facing his fear.

All of the "drama" is of course handled with humor and heart rather than any kind of melo-drama. The writing is as sharp as the original and features some very funny moments. There is even the occasional musical number thrown in, the best of which is courtesy of a group of vultures who break into their rendition of "Food, Glorious Food" from the musical Oliver.

Also like the original, the jokes are aimed at both children and adults alike. As has become required in cartoons these days, there are plenty of pop-culture references, most of which make no sense in a prehistoric setting, but add to the laughs. Sid refers to a few songs that won't be written for thousands of years as "the classics" and some younger animals are disappointed that when they whack Sid with sticks, candy doesn't fall out.

So long as they can maintain this quality, let's hope it isn't another four years before the next Ice Age.

Did you enjoy Scott's review? +2 -0

 

Sid again steals the movie. Manny is a moody bore and Diego has lost all of his edge. Sid's scene of being worshiped by fellow sloth's is one of the best. The additions of Eddie and Crash are a plus. Their hyperactive antics keep the pace moving along every time the boring Manny and Diego threaten to slow it down. Queen Latifah's character is good for a few laughs but her's is a one joke character.

Scrat has more screen time this time around and his scenes elicited the most laughs from the children in the nearly sold out theater I watched this movie in. His scenes are quick and painless but they have nothing to do with the actual plot of the film. Plot? Plot? Oh Yeah! A bunch of prehistoric animals journey to a safe locale. That plot has already been done to death. Does anyone remember Disney's Dinosaur or Land Before Time.

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown will keep the kiddies in their seats. Plenty of action and jokes get thrown around but it comes from the secondary characters. Manny and Diego could have been left behind and the movie should have centered on the more entertaining characters of Sid, Eddie and Crash.

Did you enjoy Eric's review? +2 -0