Produced by Lori Forte Cast (voices): Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Queen Latifah, Will Arnett, Jay Leno.
Disproving the rule that sequels are always worse, Fox’s big 2006 season opener Ice Age: The Meltdown builds on the humour and family values, as well as improving the technical skill of the first Ice Age. It brings back the strange ‘herd’ of Manny the Woolly Mammoth (Ray Romano), Sid the Sloth (John Leguizamo) and Diego the Sabre-Toothed Tiger (Denis Leary) as their ice-bound valley begins to melt at the end of the ice age with the imminent threat of a disastrous flood. With less sentimentality than the first film, Ice Age: The Meltdown cracks, slides and erupts into a fast-paced comedy coupled with some technically impressive animation. Thankfully this time there are no humans, but inimitable pre-historic squirrel-rat Scrat gets far more screen time. Oblivious to the concerns of the other animals, and engrossed in unstoppable pursuit of his acorn which is always either snatched or slips out of his grasp, he grabs the biggest share of laughs. Individually setting the initial problems/needs of the main characters - Manny is depressed that he may be the last of his species, Sid feels disrespected and Diego discovers he is afraid of water - is somewhat of a confused jumble at the beginning though the main element affecting them all settles the story down as they mass migrate to safety at the end of the valley. New dangers lurk in the thaw in the form of ferocious predatory prehistoric fish, as well as in the thinning surface ice over the fjord that is their valley, and in the crevasses that spectacularly crack huge ice cliffs and glaciers to tumble to the valley floor below. New characters include two hip-talking, hyperactive possum brothers called Crash and Eddie (Seann William Scott and Josh Peck), and a female mammoth called Ellie (Queen Latifah). Orphaned young and brought up with the possums, she naturally assumes she’s a possum too. Initially hopeful, Manny may still be the last of his species, quite apart from the hazards of their journey. The ominous roar and thunder of breaking ice cliffs, the blue of the ice and fur and feathers that look real enough to stroke, make an impressive impact. With more rounded and more varied characters than the first film, and an abundance of hysterical sight gags, the film is fine for its genre and not all the pleasure will derive just from the laughter and enjoyment of your kids. © Avril Carruthers 4th April 2006
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