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Film Review – Ice Age: The Meltdown

Posted on 2007 under Children & Family

by By: Rianne Hill Soriano

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown survives the fall of famous hits' sequels in an eco-conscious adventure about the exodus of a community of prehistoric animals forced to abandon their valley due to an impending flood. A loaded slapstick with the usual plot, this animated film is still charming and enjoyable as it features appealing characters in recognizable familial situations and universal emotions.

Looking into the brighter side of life is what this movie is all about. And though there is nothing brilliantly new and exceptional in the making of this picture (the film is already expected to be, at the least, as technically good as the first installment and its other Pixar and Disney counterparts), the way its elements are utilized to come up with an amusing movie creates brightly funny scenes that will submerge your heart into laughter and audio-visual entertainment. A screen of vultures singing 'Food Glorious Food,' a traffic vulture sounding like a low-voice announcer as he pages the parent animals not to leave their children unattended as all unattended children will be eaten, the 'Fire King' encounter and the sacrificial fire pit all make funny gags.

The main plot involves the evacuation of the animals before the meltdown drowns them all. The story centers mainly on Manny's struggle against extinction and his effort to develop a relationship with a lady mammoth who happens to think she is a possum. Ironically, the film's weaknesses manifest themselves in the wake of its actual strengths. The spectacularly funny scenes featuring scene-stealer Scrat (Chris Wedge) in yet another maddening quest to capture his beloved acorn are the most inventive, imaginative and entertaining parts of the movie. But these scenes also make the audience increasingly more interested in seeing Scrat reunited with his acorn than seeing Manny and Ellie find true love. Once again, his bit part is technically the most elaborately created. And with this, he continues to be a fan-favorite and he is not seen as a tedious and irrelevant cameo but the most charming character of all. Who knows, he just might get his own movie next time around...

The animation complements the film's simplistic approach and characterization. This makes the audience feel light inside the theater. Even when 'The Meltdown' starts, it's still fun to look at. Some hard-to-impress ones may question petty things as the actual feel of the place not reflecting the literal coldness of the ice age setting. But some may interpret this as a treatment to feel the warmth amidst the physical coldness of the place.

The voice works are good: Ray Romano's wooly mammoth role as Manny, Denis Leary as the cranky saber-toothed tiger Diego, John Leguizamo's wispy voice as the underachiever sloth Sid, newcomer Queen Latifah as the lady mammoth Ellie, and the rest of the characters give their fair shares for such wacky moments and nutty entertainment.

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About the Author:

Check out my site: Rianne's Film Blog
Having been bitten by the film bug, I have realized that pain is temporary; film is forever. I'm a free-spirited artist who is in constant search for the ultimate experience in every place-seeking inspirations for every work...

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