Ice Age (2002)

3.5 out of 4

Starring: voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary. Goran Visnjic

Director: Chris Wedge

Time: 81 mins

What is it about computer animated films (the more serious Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within notwithstanding) that make them such a delight? Ice Age is the latest in a long line that stretches back through last year's Shrek and Monsters, Inc to A Bug's Life and the two Toy Storys. All of them contain the ideal mix of a heartwarming story, superb visuals, and humour that works for both adults and children alike. Ice Age may not contain the same number of one-liners as Shrek, the frantic pace and great characters of Toy Story 2, or even the technical wizardry of Monsters, Inc, but it is a lot of fun. And that means you'll have a rollicking good time.

Ice Age begins with a Looney Tunes-inspired segment featuring a squirrel named Scrat and his endeavours to bury a chestnut. This is the same segment that was shown in the film's first trailer last year, and it's an absolutely sidesplitting riot. Next we move to the main story proper, and are introduced to the major players. A new ice age is approaching, and the prehistoric beasts of the day are migrating south to warmer climes. Manfred (Ray Romano, from TV's Everybody Loves Raymond) is a solitary woolly mammoth who joins a sloth named Sid (John Leguizamo) and a sabre-toothed tiger named Diego (Denis Leary) to bring a young human boy back to his parents. A grudging friendship grows among the three of them, though Diego may have an ulterior motive for tagging along. Will they be able to find the parents? Does Diego have a conscience? Do animated comedies have happy endings?

In the tradition of the aforementioned computer animated films, Ice Age has a large quotient of jokes aimed at adults. Gags about evolutionary breakthroughs, playing the game of "extinction", and uber-trackers will fly over the heads of most young children, but will have most grown-ups chuckling heartily. The other jokes, made up mostly of sight gags, slapstick, and the antics of Scrat, who reappears periodically as a sideline to the main plot, keep the enjoyment factor up. Indeed, it's surprising how many of the jokes work. There is also a delirious ice cavern slide/ride that reminds one of the madcap chases in Toy Story, Toy Story 2 and Monsters, Inc. There seems to be one of these sequences in every computer animated movie, almost as if it's intended as a showcase for what the animators can do when they let their imaginations run wild. The overall animation is quite good, if not yet ready to be proclaimed alongside the best Pixar or Dreamworks standards. The stark whiteness of the backgrounds (an ice age is encroaching, after all) doesn't attract much visual attention, but there are instances (such as the very lifelike depiction of flowing water) where one can still be impressed.

Though certain elements of the story mimic those of Shrek (Manfred and Sid's relationship is similar to that of Shrek and Donkey) and Monster's, Inc (the human child is reminiscent of Boo), I liked how one of the protagonists, namely Diego, has a secret reason for wanting to track the child's parents, and the character changes he goes through as the film progresses. I also liked a poignant moment in the previously mentioned ice cavern, where Manfred's history is revealed through cave drawings. Other than that, the film is an animated version of a road trip, with diversions involving a group of scatterbrain dodos, and a cliffhanging moment when molten lava breaks through the surface and melts an ice bridge our unlikely quartet are travelling on. Scrat's antics are also welcome, and his end scene forms a nice coda to the beginning.

There aren't many characters in Ice Age, but the cast of chosen voices is fun and funny. Ray Romano's drollness is used to good effect, while John Leguizamo is hilarious as the comical sidekick (though he doesn't quite have the delivery of Eddie Murphy, yet). Denis Leary is surprisingly good as Diego, for what is largely a serious role. Finally, Goran Visnjic (from TV's ER) gives life to another sabre-toothed tiger who is hunting our group down, though it'll be a good ear who can recognise his voice.

Following a disastrous foray into traditional 2D animation (with the likes of the poorly received Titan A.E.), 20th Century Fox's first computer animated film is a winner. The ingredients are all there to make Ice Age a success, and it's welcome to see such a good film during this generally barren time in the Hollywood calendar. May the rivalry between Fox, Pixar and Dreamworks be long, healthy and fruitful.

(c) Joe Wong (17 March 2002)