"Ice Age",a marvellous film for everyone

Rating: 10/10 (7 December 2005)

Although aimed at children, "Ice Age" is a little like one of those timeless tribal stories where different age groups get something valuable out of the tale at different levels, whilst always enjoying the story into the bargain.
Its simple plot and easy going pace, do nothing but enhance its delivery and charm. Timeless you might say.
The film follows three widely different species of mammal as they seek to return a Human child to his people.They are Manfred the mammoth, Sid the sloth, and Diego the sabre-toothed tiger. They go through several testing adventures together, an experience which is often fertile soil for the making of strong friendships. Here is no exception since they come to refer to themselves as "the herd".
I think the choice of mammoth as one of the child's saviours is a wise one since there have been allegorical tales of their surviving relatives, the elephants extending a level of concern beyond their own species.
There is one very touching scene which takes place within a cave which Humans have perhaps used for generations to reflect and meditate on their place in the world. It is daubed with paintings of various animals, among which are mammoths being hunted. We are witness though to what appears to be a bond and an understanding between the child and Manfred, that their friendship transcends such concerns.
Sid looks like a caricature rather than a real sloth, and most of Diego's feline pride also look caricatured. That said, I simply love the animation of the characters, and the level of observation which has obviously gone into living cats, pachyderms and Humans. Diego does the cat-crawl, and Manfred uses his trunk with absolute sensitivity, as would his latter day relatives.
If you have young children show them this film, they'll love it. If you don't have children don't worry. See it anyway, and remember that friendship and responsibility frequently extends to those of another species.