Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) Reviews

• Sometimes hilarious yet disappointing ...

  sarahbonmariage2012-06-26

  For years I have been a huge fan of the Ice Age series and had been expecting this new movie for months! Needless to say I was counting the days until the release of the movie and the hilarious teasers were really making the waiting difficult ... I saw it tonight and have to admit that I feel really disappointed ... Was I expecting too much ? We were a group of young adults who grew up with the movies, or at least liked them a lot and we felt let down. The storyline feels a little weak, I thought there would be a lot of adventure and action, as in the 3 previous ones where you don't see how time flies ... This one, if not boring, is too simple, not to mention incredibly predictable. There is no twists and turns. When you think about the first episode, yes, you realize how poor the scenario is in this new one. I admit there's been a real effort to create an original story that might bring the characters in another world and make them live another adventure, different from the previous ones. I think this part is a total failure. Not to mention the "song" they put in the movie, it was nothing but ridiculous and irrelevant, especially for a movie series as famous as Ice Age. I thought it was unnecessary. But since I laughed a few times and feel really bad about writing such a "negative" review, I have to admit that some of the scenes were absolutely hilarious and the characters have been kept as funny as they used to be, especially Sid (and his incredible grandmother). It's just a pity that the funny parts are so negligible ... You smile a lot, you laugh sometimes, but certainly not during the whole movie. Maybe I am too old to appreciate this movie as I should have, as I'm sure the kids will love it and the movie will have a lot of success this summer. I don't wish it the contrary, I just watched it with my not-so-kid-anymore-but-very-nostalgic-eyes and went out of the theater with the feeling that something from before was clearly missing ...

• it was fun, but not the best of the series

  lagudafuad2012-07-06

  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 must 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 kinda 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 kinda opens doors to new additional sequels. But I hope Blue Sky won't bother making any more.

• Ice Age 1-2-3 were better......Number 4.... yikes!

  me312126442012-07-15

  It still feels like yesterday when i saw the first Ice Age in theaters, at first i thought it was just a typical kids movie made to entertain kids only leaving adults bored. But after watching the movie, i laughed so hard my blood pressure rose and i just fell in love with the series throughout my childhood! Anytime a new Ice Age was released in theaters, we had to watch it first before any other movie. No matter what was in the film i have always givin a 10/10 for the funny moments. When Ice age 3 came around, i thought it was going to be the best and the last .. well it was very very good but it wasn't the last. I thought it was the last film because how Buck chose to stay below :( and Scrats new girlfriend Scratte stayed below ground too and how the ending credits was set up. And now.... here comes Ice Age 4, yay!... not. Anyhoo, i went and saw ice age 4 today getting excited and all. What a drag it was, If you remember watching ice age 1-2-3 and loved how the herd was still the same as they were just the fantastic trio. Well, in number 4, it doesn't seem like an Ice Age to me because of the too many new characters and the unnecessary teenage drama with Ethan, Steffie, and Peaches. It was cool how they added pirates and a girl for Diego (it was about time for that) but the character development was bad. Remember Crash and Eddie? they was only shown in four scenes out of the whole movie. Ellie wasn't in it much either, nor was Shira! I mainly blame this movie because of the horrible teenage drama, lack of character development, too many unnecessary new characters, and last but not least, drama queens the horrible trios (steffie, Ethan, Megan) being part of the herd instead of the good ones like Buck, Fast Tony, Scratte, and the baby, the classic ones that deserved to be. Not these screw ups. I feel terrible that this is the first time i gave Ice Age a negative review, but to me, it was the truth. This movie was the worst of the bunch. Hopefully Ice Age 5 will be better. I hope they bring back all of our favorite characters from the past that we've come to love during the first three adventures, but it seems that the new horrible trios are going to reappear once again to ruin it.(you know who im talking about)

• Drifting Further Away From The Charm Of The Original

  jaredpahl2016-07-13

  The Ice Age series is one of the more endearing animated franchise from the past decade. The first was a heartwarming and genuinely funny adventure taking place during the time of mammoths, sabertooth tigers, and clumsy sloths. The first sequel lost a lot of that magic, but Dawn of the Dinosaurs did do some fresh things with the series. However, generally, over time, the films have gained plenty of characters, but lost most of its charm. The fourth in the series, Continental Drift, is the least exciting, least funny, and cheapest of the bunch. That's not to say that Ice Age 4 doesn't have its moments: the main characters still have their appeal and there are a few good laughs, but it is clear that the Ice Age train is running out of steam here. Continental Drift kicks off with the lovable rodent Scrat causing the continents to drift apart. The trio of Manny, Diego, and Sid are soon embarking on an adventure adrift on the open sea. They meet up with pirates (and a whole collection of new characters) and try to find their way home. The plots of the Ice Age films have gotten simpler as they go, instead relying on introducing as many new characters as possible. The problem with Ice Age 4 is that none of the new characters are memorable, funny, or charming. The effort just seems to be down here. Ray Romano, Dennis Leary, and John Leguizamo, still manage to breath some life into the picture, but the passion is clearly not there like it was in 2002. The animation is also less-than-stellar. Ice Age Continental Drift could be a TV movie and I wouldn't know the difference. It's just cheap. There are some moments of wit and excitement in Ice Age 4, but on the whole, it is an exercise in diminishing returns. Most of the passion and effort of the series is gone, leading to a generic and, dare I say, boring animated adventure. Look elsewhere for family fun. 42/100

• Fun for the whole family.

  Troy_Campbell2012-07-01

  Although not regarded in the same league as the Pixar and Disney output, the initial three Ice Age instalments collected over $2bn at the worldwide box office. (Rather surprisingly, that's $100m more than the Toy Story trilogy earned.) Posting figures as huge as that means we get treated to another adventure with mammoth Manny (Ray Romano), sabre-tooth tiger Diego (Denis Leary) and silly sloth Sid (John Leguizamo); this time with pirates. Like each episode before it, Ice Age 4 prides itself in offering up goofy laughs and goofier characters, with the ragtag bunch of pirates – led by Peter Dinklage's droll Captain Gutt and assisted by Nick Frost's uproarious elephant seal Flynn – the source of much joy. The old gang don't dissatisfy either: Sid is the standout as usual but Diego gets more laughs than normal and Scrat's little journey is ever-amusing. The serious Manny is still, well, the serious Manny, but you can't win them all. The bucket load of action remains too, however nothing here tops the dinosaur rumbling in part three. Continental Drift is gratifying escapism for the whole family that, despite being the fourth outing for these prehistoric creatures, shows few signs of letting up.