ICE AGE 3
US, 2009, 94 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Ray Romano, Dennis Leary, Jon Leguizamo, Queen Latifah, Josh Peck, Simon Pegg, Seann William Scott, Jane Lynch.
Directed by Carlos Saldanha and Mike Thurmeier.
The first three minutes of the film, with Scrat, as always, searching for a nut, encountering a femme fatale, Scratte, who has her own ideas as to who should take possession of the nut, has been used for some months as a trailer for Ice Age 3. It is very amusing and puts everyone in a favourable frame of mind to enjoy the film.
There is also a ready-made audience because of the popularity of the first two films – though it is a bit of a shock to realise that Ice Age came out in 2002. However, this one has only a slight plot and spends more time on slapstick comedy which means that it is geared much more towards younger audiences (quite young) rather than making sure that adults enjoy it as well. That said, it is a pleasant continuation of life in the prehistoric world which, on the whole, seems tranquil enough. Once again mammoth Manny is the leader (voiced by Ray Romano) but Ellie (Queen Latifah), his wife is pregnant. Tiger Diego (Denis Leary) finds his powers ebbing and thinks that he should go off on his own. The crzay possums (Seann William Scott and Josh Peck) are just as mischievous as always. But, a lot of attention is on zany sloth Sid (John Leguizamo) who wants to join in the mammoth's new baby life and finds three dinosaur eggs under the ice and decides to mother them.
This is more like the comic happenings in old style cartoons, Looney Tunes (especially for poor old Scrat and his battle of the sexes with Scratte, both literally going nuts!
Plot-wise, the adventure happens when mother dinosaur takes her babies and Sid and the tribe go to rescue Sid. They find an oddball one-eyed weasel with a patch and a British accent (Simon Pegg) who leads the expedition and whose mission is to confront the giant dinosaur, Rudy.
So, there you are: familiar characters, funny voices, attractive landscapes, slapstick chases, fights and accidents – and in 3D. A bit milder than before but it won't dent the happy reputation of the Ice Age ensemble!
1.The popularity of the series? For all ages? Amusing, message?
2.The animation style, the Ice Age and its layouts, characters, look and action, funny episodes, serious? Under the surface of the earth? The bridge to the cabins?
3.The familiar material, the introduction of the dinosaurs, benign, Rudi?
4.The comic style of the voices?
5.The musical score, the use of the song, ‘You’ll Never Know’…?
6.Scrat and his familiarity: from the previous films, the trailers and advertising? The character, his look, the quest for the nuts? The introduction of Scratte? The femme fatale, her allure, her deceit, fighting with Scrat, falling, her parachute opening and his not? The later domestic sequences, her domination, love, his falling for her, the fights, the bitterness? The traditional cartoon style – especially with Scrat’s falls?
7.The Ice Age situation, the small group of survivors, Elly pregnant, the mischief of the young? The dinosaurs and their threats? The community at the end?
8.Manny and Elly, nice, her pregnancy, Sid and his being annoying, Diego and Manny and the issues of male bonding, not sharing, hitting each other on the shoulder? The dinosaur eggs, the search for Sid? Buck and his heroics? The return?
9.Sid, his voice, dumb, nice, wanting to be a parent? Mothering the eggs, drawing the faces, claiming them, taking them on the toboggan, the juggling, the hatching, his being a mother? The interactions and clash? The real mother, taking Sid, the adventures?
10.The dinosaurs, playful, infants? Taking to Sid, treating him like a mother, sharing the dangers? Their own mother, the final goodbye?
11.The two mischievous creatures, their jokes?
12.Diego, lonely, trying to hunt the deer, failing? The deer warning him to run? Talking with Manny, going off on his own? The adventure, his return? Staying with the group?
13.Buck and his history, his destiny, helping the group, the bridge through the cavern, the laughing gas? Fighting Rudi? Coming with the group, deciding to stay?
14.Rudi, the fierce dinosaur, the monster?
15.The range of other animals, their voices? The playground, the children playing, the swings, their mothers? Sid and the accidents and his destroying the playground?
16.A film for children, the simple story, emotions, the slapstick comedy, the dangers and the happy ending?
