Director: Carlos Saldanha
Writer: Michael Berg
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Cast: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary
Genres : Action/Adventure, Comedy, Kids/Family and Animation
Running Time: 1 hr. 21 min.
Release: March 15, 2002
A star studded cast provides the voices for the prehistoric creatures in this computer-animated feature set 20,000 years ago as the Earth's temperatures in northern regions steadily decrease, herds are migrating south to avoid being trapped without food or shelter. Left behind by his family, Sid the Sloth (voiced by John Leguizamo), a slinky, cumbersome lad with beady eyes and a charming lisp, finds himself in more trouble after ruining a rhino's lunch. He finds rescue in Manfred the Mammoth ("Everybody Loves Raymond's" Ray Romano), a loner who, instead of heading south, is on his way north for solitude.
Meanwhile, a vengeful pack of sabertooths are planning their revenge on the human tribe responsible for the deaths of their kin. After storming the village in an attempt to make off with the chief's newborn child, it's mother races to the river, where she escapes with the baby with fatal results, leaving Manfred and tag-along Sid to fend for the child in their quest to return it to its father. Accompanying them is Diego the Sabertooth (Denis Leary), who offers to lead them to the passage into northern regions while secretly making other plans.
And there you have, the child-like formula for another refreshing family film that rides to success on some well-crafted moments and continuous humor. Movie-going audiences will surely recognize the film's opening sequence from the trailers, as a squirrel desperately searches the frozen landscape for a nesting place for his acorn, causing a chain reaction resulting in a terrific setup of flying ice, hearty laughs, and some well-intentioned action. This, along with the group's wild ride through an ice cave that becomes their personal slip 'n' slide, showcases some terrific animation as well as some good slapstick humor.
There are other, more impressive feats accomplished as well, such as some very realistic-looking effects, and moments of sorrow that may even make some adults misty-eyed. There is an scene early in the film, one that involves upward movement along a waterfall, that seems almost too real to be animation, while some scenes such as a rainstorm and those involving shots of snow-covered landscapes are painstaking in their detail. The story behind Manfred's loneliness may just be the saddest moment in an animated film since the death of Bambi's mother, and don't be too surprised if you find yourself shedding a small tear when the film reaches its final moments.
Equally astounding is the voice work done for the film. Romano, Leguizamo, and Leary fit in to their characters so well that it makes the ride much more inviting. The overall effect of the film is one of complete satisfaction, despite a few slow moments in the beginning. The concept and the execution are really nothing new, but "Ice Age" proves its insatiable worth as a terrific combination of humor and storytelling that provides fun for children and adults alike.
Meanwhile, a vengeful pack of sabertooths are planning their revenge on the human tribe responsible for the deaths of their kin. After storming the village in an attempt to make off with the chief's newborn child, it's mother races to the river, where she escapes with the baby with fatal results, leaving Manfred and tag-along Sid to fend for the child in their quest to return it to its father. Accompanying them is Diego the Sabertooth (Denis Leary), who offers to lead them to the passage into northern regions while secretly making other plans.
And there you have, the child-like formula for another refreshing family film that rides to success on some well-crafted moments and continuous humor. Movie-going audiences will surely recognize the film's opening sequence from the trailers, as a squirrel desperately searches the frozen landscape for a nesting place for his acorn, causing a chain reaction resulting in a terrific setup of flying ice, hearty laughs, and some well-intentioned action. This, along with the group's wild ride through an ice cave that becomes their personal slip 'n' slide, showcases some terrific animation as well as some good slapstick humor.
There are other, more impressive feats accomplished as well, such as some very realistic-looking effects, and moments of sorrow that may even make some adults misty-eyed. There is an scene early in the film, one that involves upward movement along a waterfall, that seems almost too real to be animation, while some scenes such as a rainstorm and those involving shots of snow-covered landscapes are painstaking in their detail. The story behind Manfred's loneliness may just be the saddest moment in an animated film since the death of Bambi's mother, and don't be too surprised if you find yourself shedding a small tear when the film reaches its final moments.
Equally astounding is the voice work done for the film. Romano, Leguizamo, and Leary fit in to their characters so well that it makes the ride much more inviting. The overall effect of the film is one of complete satisfaction, despite a few slow moments in the beginning. The concept and the execution are really nothing new, but "Ice Age" proves its insatiable worth as a terrific combination of humor and storytelling that provides fun for children and adults alike.
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