Film Review: Ice Age

Computer Animated films? They keep-a coming

The CGI ('Computer Generated Imagery') generation of filmmakers continue to dominate our cinema screens, with a slew of pictures released since the seminal Toy Story a few years back. While Toy Story remains a favourite of the genre for many there are a few others that, although maybe not as good or original, are still worth seeing. Ice Age is one of these.

A myriad of prehistoric creatures are migrating, among them Manny (a mammoth) and Sly (a sloth). The latter has been left behind by his friends and family, and latches onto the unwilling Manny as a companion for the long journey. Along the way they come across a baby, dinner for a pack of sabre toothed tigers, and decide to help the little guy out by returning him to his family. Of course, the journey isn?t an easy one. They have no food, the weather?s terrible, and they have each other?s irksome foibles to contend with. They also don?t know whether to trust one of the tigers, who seems to be helping them find their way (voiced by Denis Leary).

The basic plot of Ice Age is almost exactly the same as Monsters Inc. There?s two main characters (one small and quippy, one large and cool) in both films attempting to reunite a baby, to whom they have become strongly attached. The heroes also have a nasty, sneering enemy to contend with in both.

Ice Age is worth seeing, though the laughs are a bit thin on the ground. The graphics, however, are mesmerising in parts, and prove that films like this are set to continue for the foreseeable future. Watch out for the little squirrel-type creature in particular, a scene stealer from the two main characters...

Derek Nagle