“Ice Age” (2002)

Ice Age

Grade: B+

A simple and funny computer-animated film that still holds up today — both animation-wise and comedy-wise. A few more notes on Ice Age:

Directing:

While somewhat crude by today’s standards, the minimal CGI of Ice Age does a nice job conveying the starkness of its prehistoric setting. Director Chris Wedge would go on to helm Robots and Epic, neither of which are as particularly memorable as this debut feature. The animation of Ice Age isn’t flashy or striking like the DreamWorks and Pixar productions from the same era, yet there’s a certain comfort in its crudeness. And I also like Wedge’s semi-artful transitions between scenes (e.g., leaves falling, ice melting, etc.).

Acting:

Ray Romano has an elephantine voice, and so he’s perfect as Manny the Mammoth. Likewise, comedian Denis Leary has a trademark gravel, which makes him believable as Diego the conflicted sabretooth. But nobody comes close to John Leguizamo as Sid the Sloth, a non-stop lisp-laden joke machine that rivals Donkey and Mike Wazowski as the most iconic early-2000s computer-animated sidekick.

Writing:

Ice Age, co-written by Michael Berg, Michael J. Wilson and Peter Ackerman, is a Pleistocene cross between Shrek and Monsters, Inc., and even though it isn’t as emotionally complex as either of those classics, the premise of three mismatched mammals taking care of a human baby is enough to carry the plot. The story is very easy to follow, heartwarming in some spots, hilarious in others. And that’s all you can really ask for.

Music:

Because Ice Age lacks the adult-oriented themes of those aforementioned DreamWorks/Pixar films, the David Newman score doesn’t need to do much heavy lifting. It’s a serviceable mishmash of zany sounds. Meanwhile, Rusted Root’s “Send Me On My Way” is used admirably, even though it’s a song I largely despise.

Ending (SPOILERS)

No need for twists; Ice Age plays it straight. We’re glad that our heroes complete their quest relatively unscathed, having learned some valuable lessons along the way. Nevertheless, it’s still a pleasant surprise that Diego ends up becoming the film’s emotional center and de facto hero. In its own way, Ice Age has a sweeter and simpler heartfelt message to impart than Shrek.

“Uncle Fungus?” – Sid

Why Ice Age gets a B+:

Ice Age is funny and simple — an entertainingly predictable story that lacks the cleverness and crudeness of other early-2000s animated children’s comedies, but is more heartwarming as a result.

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