Runtime: 1 hour, 27 minutes
Rating: PG
Directors: Michael Thurmeier, Steve Martino
Quick Impressions:
Since The Avengers, we’d been seeing at least one movie a week all summer. But then in July we went on a long vacation that made us miss Ice Age: Continental Drift and The Dark Knight Rises. We saw The Dark Knight Rises as soon as we got back, but we thought we’d probably just catch Ice Age on DVD. This week, though, we had a chance to take the kids to see it at the theater, and I’m glad we did.
Full Disclaimer: I’ve seen the first Ice Age and bits and pieces of various sequels, but I’m not a hard core follower of the franchise. Because I’ve waited so long to write the review, I’ve heard that Continental Drift rehashes elements used in previous Ice Age films. Since I haven’t seen all the previous Ice Age films, I really can’t confirm or deny this complaint.
The Good:
Captain Gutt is by far the best part of this movie. In fact, he pretty much is the movie since he brings with him most of the film’s conflict and the solution for overcoming the tiny bit of conflict that comes from nature. Until Gutt’s entrance, the movie could just as easily be called Ice Age 4: Everybody’s Still Here for Some Reason.
Aside from a standard-but-solid subplot involving Peaches and the delightful introduction of Sid’s Granny (voiced by Wanda Sykes), Gutt and his crew are the story.
Until Gutt arrives, the movie’s great strength is impressive and aesthetically pleasing visuals. The ice gleams. The ocean looks alive. The tousled hair of the mammoths has an organic beauty. Gutt ups the ante here, too. He’s fascinating to look at, equal parts compelling and repulsive—like a dramatic wreck that causes rubber necking on the other side of the highway. Who can resist admiring with dread the mixture of dirty and golden teeth in his apish leer? The character looks so cool, and I love the shiver-inducing explanation of how he got his name.
My mother, my husband, and I spent the entire movie trying to place Gutt’s distinctive voice. Finally the credits solved the mystery. It’s Peter Dinklage, best known these days for his star turn as Tyrion “the Imp” Lannister on Game of Thrones. He does a wonderful job.
Gutt brings with him a scurvy crew of miscreants who do their part to make the story more interesting. As first-mate Shira the white saber-tooth, Jennifer Lopez provides a rival and eventual love interest for Denis Leary’s Diego. Nick Frost as blubbery Flynn and Aziz Ansari as Easter Bunny doppelganger Squint get a lot of laughs. And, of course, Gutt also brings with him a boat—or rather a huge chunk of ice. He’s an expert at using ice to his nautical advantage, and he also understands the currents and how to navigate the seas.
Another bright spot in the movie is Sid’s long-lost Grandma (very recognizably voiced by Wanda Sykes) who’s crotchety energy is a major comic force in the film. I love John Leguizamo. He has such a wonderful voice and does a marvelous job portraying Sid. Bringing Granny into Sid’s life was a great idea since it gives him a meaningful role in the story.
For children, there’s also something valuable in the story about Manny (Ray Romano) and Ellie’s (Queen Latifa) daughter Peaches (Keke Palmer) trying to get the attention of attractive male mammoth Ethan (Drake) and his cool friends. Should Peaches change who she is to make herself more attractive to Ethan and his crowd? What about her friend Louis (Josh Gad)? He’s loyal and devoted (and clearly has a crush on her), but Ethan’s friends think he’s a loser. Will Peaches have to pick a side? What’s the right choice? Adults, of course, can see how all of this will play out right from the start, but children might not. And the lesson Peaches learns has universal value.
Best Scene:
By far the best part of the movie is the rollicking sea shanty sung by Captain Gutt and his ragtag crew. This lively, catchy tune not only sets toes tapping, but it also does a great job of introducing the genuinely menacing villain of this piece. We learn who this prehistoric primate is, what he intends, and how he and his crew are going to inject life into an otherwise bland story that badly needs them to survive.
Funniest Scene:
There are lots of laughs to be had in this film, particularly once it gets going. Personally, I laughed the hardest near the beginning when Granny performed her variation on the old magnifying glass in the sun trick. Something about the character’s crotchety moxie really appealed to me. Actually I think the two central sloths were my favorite small-group family in this movie.
Best Scene Visually:
I love the scene with the sirens. Not only is it funny, but it also brings a hint of true danger (real magic) and a visual feast. The movie’s take on how the sirens operate seems pretty original. I mean, we all know what sirens do, but I enjoyed the way the movie presented the spell of the sirens’ song. Plus my daughter is particularly interested in mythological creatures, so it’s always exciting when they show up on the big screen.
The intercalary episodes featuring Scrat are also pretty diverting and fun to watch.
Best Action Sequence:
I’d give the slight edge here to the scene when Precious finally appears. So much is happening at that time. The stakes are at their highest, and the movie’s almost over. Everything must be resolved in one big battle, and Granny’s got an ace up her sleeve.
A really close second, though is the sequence with the adorable army on the island. Sid’s work as a translator is baffling but adorable, and the group effort to take control of the ship is great—providing lots of action, and a nice, character-driven moment between Diego and Shira.
The Negatives:
The movie’s glacially paced opening (see what I did there?) isn’t exactly bad. It’s certainly watchable, but it doesn’t feel particularly fresh or innovative. Also the stakes aren’t very high because the outcome seems so predictable. The audience can tell from the start that Peaches is going to sort out her coming-of-age issues by the end of the movie. And, of course, we know that the herd won’t be separated forever. That would be unthinkable in this franchise.
It’s not that Continental Drift sets lofty goals and fails to reach them. On the contrary, the real problem is, it doesn’t aim very high. Maybe because I spent so many nights watching Olympic gymnastics recently, I’d say that the movie doesn’t falter in execution, but it has a low starting value. This is the fourth film in a highly successful family franchise. It really isn’t trying to do anything groundbreaking (no pun intended). The makers of this movie aren’t expecting any Academy Awards, and I don’t think loyal Ice Age watchers go into the theater expecting that caliber of film.
Basically, until Captain Gutt and his crew shows up, the film is lackluster but far from terrible. It would make very good, family friendly viewing on television. The characters are likeable. The animation is beautiful. My three-year-old watched the early scenes with genuine interest. So by no means is the beginning bad.
But the film doesn’t actually become truly engaging (at least to an adult audience) until Captain Gutt shows up and brings with him the luster of the new. (I mean, sure pirate movies and battles are common elements in kids’ movies, but not so much in Ice Age movies. The pirate berg takes the film in a new and unexpected direction, providing novel adventures for the already well-liked leads.) For what it’s worth, my nine-year-old stepson enjoyed the movie, and my three-year-old daughter really enjoyed the movie. She watched the entire thing and announced near the end that she wanted to play Ice Age as soon as we got home.
Overall:
The new additions to this movie make it worth seeing and truly entertaining (particularly during the final act as everything comes together). Captain Gutt is great. Sid’s Granny cracks me up. And, of course, as in all the Ice Age films you get the bonus of a truly interracial voice cast putting forth a message of unity and community—a herd made up of all different kinds of animals where everyone contributes something, everyone cares for one another, and somebody always has your back. That seems to be the message of the Ice Age franchise. The world as we know it could end at any time. All we really have is the support and friendship of the people we care about. We need to work together and adapt to a changing environment to make the world a place where all of us can continue to thrive.