Blue Sky Studios' Animation Debut Is Still Its Finest Work To Date.

Rating: Null/10 (12 April 2016)

Establishing Blue Sky Studios as the new player in the computer animation arena after both Pixar & DreamWorks Animation had made their mark, Ice Age is a sensibly crafted, delightfully humoured & wonderfully narrated adventure comedy that packs in an interesting set of pre-historic characters, manages to be surprisingly touching on few occasions & is thoroughly amusing from start to finish.
The story of Ice Age takes place during the advent of the titular global phenomenon and follows a woolly mammoth named Manny, a ground sloth named Sid & a saber-toothed cat named Diego who, after coming across a human child & ultimately deciding to return him to his tribe, embark on an exciting adventure while braving the harsh conditions & unexpected challenges of the worsening weather.
Directed by Chris Wedge & Carlos Saldanha, Ice Age sets its lighthearted tone right within the opening segment that follows a squirrel's obsession with acorn and this side story keeps recurring throughout the movie to provide the comic relief. The main plot itself is brilliantly narrated, the characters are introduced without swaying from the main premise, and it has plenty of laughs in store for everyone.
The relationship between the characters develops naturally, the computer animation appears a bit dated today yet it's top-notch for its time, the pre-historic animals are nicely designed & rendered on the screen, the cold colour palette, smooth camera-work, fine editing & adventurous score also helps in uplifting the experience while Ray Romano, John Leguizamo & Denis Leary chip in with fitting voice work.
On an overall scale, Ice Age marks a promising start for Blue Sky Studios and delivers the goods in sufficient doses to succeed as an enjoyable, entertaining & satisfying picture that will appease the appetite of both kids & adults. Wonderfully balancing its moments of comedy with sincere drama, further strengthened by terrific chemistry between its three characters, and exploring the theme of friendship with genuine warmth, Ice Age is definitely worth a shot.