the only person in the world to dislike this? Probably

Rating: 1/10 (26 July 2002)

I disliked Ice Age from the time I first saw the trailer. So when I finally went to see it with my girlfriend to avoid taking her to Blade II, I was not looking forward to it but hoped for the best. Unfortunately my worst fears came true : I didn't like this movie one bit. The main reason is the character design, which I find to be hideous to such a degree that I cannot identify with any of the characters. Sid the Sloth looks yucky (like a really filthy plush toy), the sabre tooth tigre's facial features are just wrong, etc. Only the baby is appealing. I did find myself wondering whether I would have enjoyed the film if I had felt the character design was more attractive, but I doubt it somehow (I liked Shrek's designs but found that to be a big disappointment too, though still better than this). The plot is very predictable, the baby's mother dies but no one cares, the drama is wonky (the sabretooths cannot defeat a single human in their raid on the encampment - which makes them weak as villains - yet the immensely powerful Manny the Mammoth seems to be helpless before them in the finale though he can throw giant brontotheriums through the air with the greatest of ease), the emotional arc doesn't make sense (Manny has lost his wife and child to human hunters - so he finds closure by saving a human baby??? Very noble, but does this make sense? Saving the offspring of those who destroyed your life?), the creation of the bonds between the mismatched 'herd' never really gells, and the humour is to my mind very often forced. And I do not find Scrat's being picked on by fate to be funny in the slightest.
However, I know I'm in an absolute minority with this one. I just had to vent... :-)