Ice Age: The Meltdown

The Bus · 03-30-06, 04:13 PM

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown

Quote:

Originally Posted by A Studio Shill

In "Ice Age: The Meltdown," the sub-zero heroes from the worldwide blockbuster CGI film "Ice Age" are back – Manny the woolly mammoth, Sid the sloth, Diego the saber-toothed tiger, and the hapless prehistoric squirrel/rat known as Scrat. In the new film, from director Carlos Saldanha and the Academy Award® winning creators of "Ice Age" and "Robots," the Ice Age is coming to an end, and the animals are delighting in the melting paradise that is their new world.

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo and Denis Leary return to voice our three heroes: Manny, Sid, and Diego. New cast members include Academy Award® nominee Queen Latifah ("Chicago"), Seann William Scott (the "American Pie" trilogy), late night talk show king Jay Leno, Will Arnett ("Arrested Development") and Josh Peck ("Drake and Josh").

Our trio is still together and enjoying the perks of their now melting world. Manny may be ready to start a family, but nobody has seen another mammoth for a long time; Manny thinks he may be the last one. That is, until he miraculously finds Ellie (voiced by Queen Latifah), the only female mammoth left in the world. Their only problems: They can't stand each other – and Ellie somehow thinks she's a possum!

Ellie comes with some excess baggage in the form of her two possum "brothers"...Crash and Eddie (voiced by Seann William Scott and Josh Peck), a couple of daredevil pranksters and cocky, loud-mouthed troublemakers.

Manny, Sid, and Diego quickly learn that the warming climate has one major drawback: A huge glacial dam holding off oceans of water is about to break, threatening the entire valley. The only chance of survival lies at the other end of the valley. So our three heroes, along with Ellie, Crash and Eddie, form the most unlikely family – in any "Age" – as they embark on a mission across an ever-changing, increasingly dangerous landscape towards their salvation.

The film also presents the continuing adventures, or misadventures, of Scrat, who has an even larger role this time.

Watch the trailer: 56k | 480p | 720p | 1080p

Some tidbits:

Box Office Mojo places this as the fifth widest-opening movie of all time at 3,962 theatres, and the biggest since Madagascar (meanwhile The Incredibles drops to #6). It's also interesting to note that of the top 6, only Spider-Man 2 was not a CGI family picture.

Currently, it has a fairly respectable Tomatometer of 59-60%, which means it is teetering between

and

. (The Cream of the Crop gives it a 100% at 4/4 currently). For the record, the previous Ice Age had a 78%.

This is unfortunately not an official tagline: "From the makers of FIGHT CLUB and BLACK KNIGHT!"

I mention all this because my younger brother and sister could not keep pestering me about this and I just bought tickets... I'm seeing it tomorrow. I guess that's what I get for taking them to the first one.

(For the record, I took them to see Spirited Away in the theatre as well, to counteract any possible side effects.)

gryffinmaster · 03-30-06, 04:26 PM

All I can say is ... bring on more Scrat.

Had me laughing close to tears in the first one.

BravesMG · 03-30-06, 04:28 PM

The wife's making me go tomorrow. Nothing against the first Ice Age, it was entertaining for what it was, but nothing that couldn't wait for DVD. I think I'm spoiled by the Shrek/Pixar combination, nothing else measures up to those.

Jon2 · 03-30-06, 04:52 PM

I'm looking forward to this one.

The first one was funny and had a lot of heart. Two attributes I can't apply to most DreamWorks animation which seems to be more concerned with skewering Disney/Pixar, than doing something original.

Lateralus · 03-31-06, 01:10 PM

I must get the movie poster:

gryffinmaster · 03-31-06, 01:31 PM

Barely fresh (62%/66%) at RT currently after about 40 votes.

dsa_shea · 04-01-06, 10:39 AM

I thought this was a very competent movie. It held up well for the kids and most of the adults in the theater.

Raul3 · 04-02-06, 12:17 AM

I saw it today. Haven't seen the first one (I wasn't married w/kids). I enjoyed it. My wife says that's funnier than the first one.

03-30-06, 04:26 PM	#2
gryffinmaster DVD & Video Game Reviewer Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Flagler Beach Posts: 4,983	All I can say is ... bring on more Scrat. Had me laughing close to tears in the first one. __________________ "He thought each memory recalled must do some violence to its origins. As in a party game. Say the words and pass it on. So be sparing. What you alter in the remembering has yet a reality, known or not." -- Cormac McCarthy's The Road Thomas Spurlin, Staff Reviewer DVDTalk Reviews \| Personal Blog/Site

03-31-06, 01:10 PM	#5
Lateralus DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Valley of Megiddo Posts: 9,306	I must get the movie poster: __________________ (Lat's book lists)

04-01-06, 10:39 AM	#7
dsa_shea DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 12,088	I thought this was a very competent movie. It held up well for the kids and most of the adults in the theater. __________________ PSN: GatorShea

03-30-06, 04:28 PM	#3
BravesMG DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Dec 2000 Posts: 7,901	The wife's making me go tomorrow. Nothing against the first Ice Age, it was entertaining for what it was, but nothing that couldn't wait for DVD. I think I'm spoiled by the Shrek/Pixar combination, nothing else measures up to those.

03-30-06, 04:52 PM	#4
Jon2 DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,389	I'm looking forward to this one. The first one was funny and had a lot of heart. Two attributes I can't apply to most DreamWorks animation which seems to be more concerned with skewering Disney/Pixar, than doing something original.

03-31-06, 01:31 PM	#6
gryffinmaster DVD & Video Game Reviewer Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Flagler Beach Posts: 4,983	Barely fresh (62%/66%) at RT currently after about 40 votes. __________________ "He thought each memory recalled must do some violence to its origins. As in a party game. Say the words and pass it on. So be sparing. What you alter in the remembering has yet a reality, known or not." -- Cormac McCarthy's The Road Thomas Spurlin, Staff Reviewer DVDTalk Reviews \| Personal Blog/Site

04-02-06, 12:17 AM	#8
Raul3 DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Picture a cup in the middle of the sea Posts: 7,230	I saw it today. Haven't seen the first one (I wasn't married w/kids). I enjoyed it. My wife says that's funnier than the first one.