Ice Age: Continental Drift [DVD] [2012]

Ice Age: Continental Drift is funny, and I had fun watching it and looked forward to seeing what this weird herd is up to now. It is the fourth installment of the Ice Age series and the seventh CG production of Blue Sky Studios and the first sequel not to be directed by Carlos Saldanha who will be directing RIO part 2. What I love most about this flick is the introduction of a partner for Diego; a white tiger lady is added ladies and gentlemen. The movie also has the whole fun of the old clichés, which I seem not to be tired of seeing. It also showcases cool CG effect; I loved the water effect most. The plot was educational (as long as you know it is bogus) due to Scrat's (Squirrel) hunt for acorns he triggers the break-up of the world continent into the continents as we know them today, which cause Manny to lose his family. Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure to find his family, after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world, and learn why it is good to be part of a family herd, than being part of a group where one person leads and other follow. Well, the new directors weren't that bad, as the movie did have some fun screenplays and events that you will be thrilled to see. As we watch this creatures move from the Ice Age to the present age the pictures tell stories that are kind of informative and entertaining. Hey! I must have missed that geography class when they taught that Scrat the squirrel created the whole world. Although this is not the best addition to the Ice Age series it was fun to watch. And the movie kind of opens doors to new additional sequels.

Ice Age: Continental Drift is a playful movie. The movie focuses again on our furry friends including Manny, Diego, and Sid. The premise of the movie focuses on Manny's teenage daughter, Peaches. Scat's antics, the squirrel on the cover, cause an interesting turn of events leading the viewer to encounter a number of interesting new characters and ideas for the ice age series. Without spoiling the story, I can say that the film features a solid cast, strong family themes, and a simple and straightforward plot that while predictable and shallow, is both playful and fun. It is very enjoyable and engaging for those interested in a light hearted family film (that is good if you watch it alone as well). The video itself is wonderful from a technical standpoint. The colors are saturated, the detail in the fur and environment is sharp and interesting. While few and far between, the blacks showcase detail and texture that will prove to be interesting and engaging. The audio features a DTS-HD Master Audio and takes advantage of a wide dynamic range that while not blowing you out of your chair loud, will do nice to differentiate standard dialogue. The music found throughout the film is integral, yet never gets in the way of the dialogue which remains clear and understandable no matter what happens. For those with a powerful subwoofer, the movie will provide ample opportunities to exercise it. In total, this movie was fun, playful, and a great for the family. It never goes very deep, the characters aren't the most dynamic, but it is the perfect movie to watch when looking for a quiet and enjoyable experience.

The Ice Age series, across the four in the series, has been full of adventure and fun, and Continental Drift is no different. Scrat the squirrel starts the continental drift in his never ending pursuit of the acorn. Manny is separated from Ellie and Peaches during the drift and there begins his adventure with buddies Diego and Sid. Sid is united with his family who, it turns out, just wanted to leave his granny with him and disappear. The granny, voice of Wanda Sykes, brings in fine humor. The pack, in their attempt to reunite Manny with his family, runs into evil Captain Gutt, the reigning pirate of the frozen waters. They venture off with his boat after beating his crew, only to run into him again. Here starts a friendship between Diego and Shira. Captain Gutt in a desperate attempt to get even with Manny holds Peaches hostage. Manny and the entire pack, including Granny, fight back with gusto. The overall pace and adventure of The Continental Drift is at par with the previous versions, it's non-stop adventure with funny scenes that kids will enjoy. However, it feels like more of the same over and over again. There isn't much depth of content, no new ideas, no scintillating graphics, and no meaningful development of characters. That being said, the movie is still great fun for the entire family. It's adventurous, funny, and definitely worth a watch.

I like the Ice Age films. NOT love them, like them. Between the first and third films I can not say a favorite out of them, I like them equally. But, I have no problem as saying this 4th film was my least favorite of them. Why was this film necessary? Reused story lines. Disappointing. OK, we see the Peaches character introduced in the 3rd film as a teenager here. Gee, my parents embarrass me, they do not understand me. Can we count how many times in TV shows & movies this storyline has been used? A boring villain. Making 2 groups to follow did NOT help, Manny, Diego & Sid together with Elle, Crash, Eddie & Peaches. What was the storyline about from out of no where we have Sid's family? Where did they come from, a storyline please film makers. There is no need for any more Ice Age films, pretty soon they will be in 1969 with the cast of Men in Black

This film brings back so many of the original characters, including Scrat (the saber toothed squirrel) in a larger role than ever. But the plot, and the premise rambles on and on as good fights evil while the world is falling apart around them (what else is new). Added to the cast is Wanda Sykes as Sid's granny, who is amazing. Pirates on an iceberg menace from every side, while Peaches, Manny and Ellie's daughter (who thinks she's a possum) deals with peer pressure. The end of the story is satisfying. I just wish everything in the middle was as well.

As the "world" of these characters continues to expand, so does the cast of characters. That's the major draw back of the last few films. That being said this film does have a marked improvement over the last film. It's a fairly harmless movie, that offers some laughs and decent enough family entertainment. However, If you're still around after the third entry in this animated series, you're most likely not going to care about this review.

A fun continuation of the Ice Age films. If you are a fan of the Ice Age movies and haven't grabbed this one, I would recommend it. It is funny and and my daughter certainly enjoys it. As with a lot of movies now, I'm glad to see the sets packaged with a Blu-Ray, DVD, and some sort of digital copy. It just makes it easy to keep the DVD in the car for the kids, while having the Blu-Ray at home.

My son loves the Ice Age movies so I bought this one. He absolutely loves it. Typical Ice Age, plenty of humor for the kids with a few adult jokes thrown in for the parents. This one is quite a bit different because most of it takes place on the water and involves pirates, which was a nice change up for the series.