BEAUTIFUL FILM

Rating: Null/10 (24 March 2002)

Firstly, let me say that I haven't enjoyed most of the kids films that have come out these past few years. The last childrens film I actually enjoyed was Beauty and the Beast (1992 version). Since then I haven't been impressed. I thought to myself that it was my age and that adults such as myself can't enjoy a kids movie. Well, I enjoyed this movie very much indeed.
The animation is beautiful and so is the colour. The story is moralistic and very well done. There's comedy, tragedy, action and adventure throughout. Everyone involved in the production of this film from the director to the artists and all the rest deserve a huge pat on the back and it would be nice if this film won an award.
(POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD) In this film a mammoth, a sloth and a saber-toothed tiger attempt to return a young infant to his tribe. Along the way they get up to all kind of strange things. At times, I was on the edge of the seat and I really felt myself caring for the characters-including the saber-toothed tiger. This was a very moralistic cartoon and reminded me of the beautiful Land Before Time series of films.
The characters were all great. The sloth was annoying but likeable at the same time (you always find characters like him in a film like this). The mammoth was my favourite. He was the leader in a sense and whilst he too was annoyed by the sloth and the tiger he nevertheless cared for them both. The tiger was a great character as well. His motives for returning the boy to his tribe were different to the sloths and the mammoths motives. What were his motives I hear you ask? Well, see the film and you will find out.
There was one recurring character that had me laughing at times. Some kind of creature (I guess it was some kind of rodent) was trying to find a place to bury his acorn. This set up all kinds of comic situations-particularly one at the end of the film.
All in all this was a terrific film to watch and for the first time in ages I came out of the cinema feeling that my money was well spent.