Ice Age 3 Dawn of the Dinosaurs
By Madeleine Chong
Director: Carlos Saldanha, Mike Thurmeier
Starring: Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg, Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Josh Peck, Seann William Scott
Official website: http://www.iceagemovie.com/
With the spectre of vapid 'threequels' looming large over the movie industry, it would seem that Director Carlos Saldanha is treading on thin ice with yet another instalment in the Ice Age franchise.
Despite the 3-year gap between films No. 2 and 3, fans will be relieved to know that Ice Age 3 Dawn of the Dinosaurs doesn't spiral into the epic mess that Spiderman 3 or Shrek 3 turned out to be.
The humor is anything but prehistoric, and the addition of new characters such as the boisterous baby T-Rex trio will melt even the coldest of hearts.
After finding love in Ice Age: The Meltdown, mammoths Manny (Ray Romano) and Ellie (Queen Latifah) are now expecting a big bundle of joy. Naturally, impending parenthood makes everyone all jittery.
Manny morphs into an overprotective stumbling block, Diego (Denis Leary) fears that he may be losing his predatory instincts, and meatheaded Sid (John Leguizamo) is determined to find his own brood, even if it means nursing infant dinosaurs with dangerous appetites and toothy grins.
Of course, the hapless sloth hasn't lost his knack for getting into trouble, and when mommy T-Rex comes a-calling for her kiddos, mayhem ensues. Off goes the gang on a rescue mission, tumbling headlong into an underground lost world of lush vegetation and lumbering dinosaurs.
Manny and Ellie's story arc is considerably lightweight given their generous girth, and Diego fades into the background as the narrative progresses. Audiences who may be allergic to Sid's whiny antics will be pleased to know that his screen time has been pared down this time round. But while these central characters take a backseat, the supporting cast shines.
Hyperactive possum twins Crash (Seann William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck) fire off witty wisecracks at supersonic speed, sabre-toothed squirrel Scrat (Chris Wedge) has his paws full with femme fatale Scratte (Karen Disher) and the elusive prized walnut, and then there's Buck. Yes, Buck.
Voiced with gleeful irreverence by the delightful Simon Pegg, scene stealer Buck is the swashbuckling heart and soul of this adventurous romp. A tricksy daredevil of a weasel who wears his eyepatch like a badge of honor, he is a cross between survivalist Robinson Crusoe and Johnny Depp's kooky pirate Jack Sparrow.
A certified loony who professes to have woken up one day "married to a pineapple," you'd best believe Buck when he tells you he can "turn a Tyrannosaurus Rex into Tyrannosaurus Rachel."
3D fleshes out the vivid details in sequences, but its effectiveness in the movie is inconsistent. When it's used well, it can add layers of mystic and foreboding dread to Buck's storytelling, make you gasp in wonderment at the sweeping expanse of jungle landscape or feel the thrill of the chase when Diego is hunting down a gazelle. Most other times, you'll forget that the technology is even present.
As far as animated action comedies go, Ice Age 3 manages to straddle safe territory with family-friendly themes at the centre of its warm, beating heart, while maintaining a sense of fun with clever dialogue. All-ages appeal indeed.
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