Ice Age (2002)
Directed by Chris Wedge
Manny the mammoth, Sid the loquacious sloth, and Diego the sabre-toothed tiger go on a comical quest to return a human baby back to his father, across a world on the brink of an ice age.
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10 films that influenced Ice Age
What critics say influenced Ice Age
It follows in the wake of, and borrows liberally from both of 2001's blockbusters, Shrek and Monsters Inc.
I laughed more at "Ice Age" than at "Shrek" and "Monsters Inc." combined.
There�s an upside to this approach, however � it�s not as inventive as Shrek, and it lacks the depth of the incomparable Toy Story, but it harks back to simpler times, when you could enjoy a well-crafted bedtime story without having to worry about where your next in-joke was coming from.
They're obviously recycling Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, or Shrek's Donkey and Shrek (Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers), or Mike and Sully (Billy Crystal and John Goodman) in Monsters Inc., and so on, only their skins and shapes are different.
While it may not achieve the ‘CGI classic’ status that was earned by movies like Shrek , Toy Story and Monsters Inc ., Fox Animation’s Ice Age is nonetheless a pleasantly diverting and quite amusing family flick.
That, in a nutshell, is the template for last year’s two computer-animated blockbusters, Monsters, Inc. and Shrek; and now it applies also to Chris Wedge’s Ice Age — the first feature-length film from 20th Century Fox acquisition Blue Sky Studios (which was also responsible for Wedge’s Oscar-winning animated short Bunny).
The prehistoric quest motif has been covered in animated movies like Dinosaur and The Land Before Time, while the ‘good-natured creatures as surrogate babysitters’ theme seems partially cribbed from 2001’s fantastic Monsters, Inc.
Walt Disney apparently agreed, and decided to "remake" the thing 12 years later when they created 2000's animated dud, Dinosaur.
It's part "Dinosaur" (that Disney movie from the summer of 2000), part "Shrek" (no explanation needed there I hope) and, whenever that bug-eyed prehistoric squirrel's on screen, trying to bury his acorn (if you haven't seen the hysterical coming attractions for this film at least a dozen times you're obviously on the wrong planet), all fun.
The themes are every bit as brutal as those in "Antz" and even less civilized; each character has suffered a loss or crisis which eventually serves to unite them under a common cause.
Aesthetically, many of the animals are as unappealing as the title insects in 1998's Antz, while the people look downright inhuman.
The prehistoric quest motif has been covered in animated movies like Dinosaur and The Land Before Time, while the ‘good-natured creatures as surrogate babysitters’ theme seems partially cribbed from 2001’s fantastic Monsters, Inc.
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Voiced by Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Goran Visnjic, Jack Black and Cedric “The Entertainer.”
A minor delight but a delight just the same, Ice Age is the brainchild of Chris Wedge, an Oscar winner for the 1998 animated short Bunny.
Like "The Jungle Book," this animated film tells the story of a group of animals who find a human baby.
While it may not achieve the ‘CGI classic’ status that was earned by movies like Shrek , Toy Story and Monsters Inc ., Fox Animation’s Ice Age is nonetheless a pleasantly diverting and quite amusing family flick.
It is full of hilarious characters, incredibly well voiced, silly situations, and the best computer generated animation done yet, and that includes Shrek, the Toy Story movies, and Monsters, Inc..
The ''Toy Story'' films, ''Shrek,'' ''Monsters, Inc.,'' ''Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius,'' and now Ice Age -- each of these movies is a jaw-dropping technical achievement, yet also brimming with funny and sophisticated pop prankishness.
While “Ice Age's” straightforward talking-animal format is too routine to go tusk-to-tusk creatively with recent landmark CG films such as niche leader Pixar's celebrated “Toy Story” and “Monsters, Inc.,” there's enough cool fun here to warm the hearts of animation enthusiasts of all ages.
If your duties include entertaining children under the age of five you�ll be seeing this film whether you like it or not, but for everyone else I offer the following advice: Ice Age is not the next Toy Story, but it�s not another Dinosaur either, so if you set your expectations at a realistic level you�ll enjoy it as much as the knee-high brigade in the front row.
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In fact, Manfred’s best moments are wordless: a poignant, revealing scene in which he gazes at a paleolithic cave painting that seems to come to life (à la The Prince of Egypt), and a tender moment toward the end with the baby he’s been caring for.
"I wonder if he's ever seen The Lion King?"