Review: Ice Age 2
About 10,000 years ago, the period known as the Ice Age, which had lasted for 60,000 years, gradually ended. With it came the extinction of a great many species, and the proliferation of mankind, who had by then spread to all corners of the Earth. It also serves as the setting for the animated comedy Ice Age 2: The Meltdown. The sequel to 2002's hit film reunites the stars of the first one. Manny (Ray Romano), the strong and stubborn mammoth who increasingly believes he may be the last of an extinct species; Diego (Denis Leary), the reformed sabre-toothed tiger who grudgingly joined the herd; Sid (John Leguizamo), the comic relief sloth who holds the group together; and Scrat (director Chris Wedge), the terminally unlucky squirrel who just wants that Goddamn acorn!
The first film also contained a human tribe, and thankfully they do not appear here, as humans always screw up animal stories (just ask Bambi). Instead, the sequel focusses on the fact that the ice wall that protects the idyllic waterpark-like valley is beginning to melt, and the animals must evacuate before they all drown. Just some nice, light family fare. Complicating the journey is Manny's fear that he is becoming extinct, but that changes when he meets Ellie (Queen Latifah), who appears to be the only other mammoth in the valley. The only problem is that she thinks she's a possum, like her "brothers", Crash and Eddie (Sean William Scott, Josh Peck). Thus the herd travels together, encountering plenty of pratfalls and setbacks, until the ice melts and everyone jumps into action.
This is a pretty funny movie, and they make good use of what humour can be gleaned from an ELE (extinction-level event). One of the better running gags is the flock of vultures constantly circling the group, led by a husky-voiced gunslinger type (Will Arnett), who break out into a few verses of "Food, Glorious Food". And as always, Scrat's misadventures are always a welcome relief from the sometimes heavy-handed environmental symbolism, rivalling Wile E. Coyote's consistant failures. The movie leaves plenty of room for a third movie, and I predict we will get one. Maybe they make their way to Africa, Manny and Ellie both lose their fur coats, and become the first elephants, and Sid falls in love with a giraffe. Hilarity ensues. It's a fine movie to bring the kids to, so long as they don't get saddened by the fact that most of the depicted creatures no longer exist.
∆∆∆1/2 of 5
The first film also contained a human tribe, and thankfully they do not appear here, as humans always screw up animal stories (just ask Bambi). Instead, the sequel focusses on the fact that the ice wall that protects the idyllic waterpark-like valley is beginning to melt, and the animals must evacuate before they all drown. Just some nice, light family fare. Complicating the journey is Manny's fear that he is becoming extinct, but that changes when he meets Ellie (Queen Latifah), who appears to be the only other mammoth in the valley. The only problem is that she thinks she's a possum, like her "brothers", Crash and Eddie (Sean William Scott, Josh Peck). Thus the herd travels together, encountering plenty of pratfalls and setbacks, until the ice melts and everyone jumps into action.
This is a pretty funny movie, and they make good use of what humour can be gleaned from an ELE (extinction-level event). One of the better running gags is the flock of vultures constantly circling the group, led by a husky-voiced gunslinger type (Will Arnett), who break out into a few verses of "Food, Glorious Food". And as always, Scrat's misadventures are always a welcome relief from the sometimes heavy-handed environmental symbolism, rivalling Wile E. Coyote's consistant failures. The movie leaves plenty of room for a third movie, and I predict we will get one. Maybe they make their way to Africa, Manny and Ellie both lose their fur coats, and become the first elephants, and Sid falls in love with a giraffe. Hilarity ensues. It's a fine movie to bring the kids to, so long as they don't get saddened by the fact that most of the depicted creatures no longer exist.
∆∆∆1/2 of 5
posted by The Man in Charge at
5:05 PM
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