An entertaining addition to the 'age'-ing series.

Rating: 7/10 (30 June 2012)

To start with - the technical side of filmmaking. The Ice Age series has always excelled in providing amazing visuals and this one doesn't disappoint. The use of 3D is brilliant, almost enough to restore my faith in the dire format, with credit going to the blocking choices for the characters (if that exists in animation) - they are often propelled into situations where the camera angle would turn to have them move towards the camera, creating the intended three-dimensional 'pop out' illusion. To add to the enjoyment of the visual side of the film, the new animals have been pleasingly designed by the animators.
And on an artistic level of filmmaking, the screenplay is unfortunately missing the wit and subtle humour that made the original film hilarious. The comedy is powered by visual gags instead. Some may find this disappointing but with the state of comedy films this modern day that manage to sell, it seems visual gags are what cater nicely to the target audience which is children. However, I give credit to one of the screenwriters, Jason Fuchs, who has helped script a feature film that does manage to entertain at only 24 years old. But when a film works with visual jokes rather than a script for comedy, it doesn't make one too excited about the prospects of the people behind the camera. Maybe the reception of Continental Drift can help Fuchs work on his next piece though.
Satisfying voice acting is featured in the film, I was in fact surprised that Drake and Nicki Minaj performed decently. The show-stealer was Wanda Sykes who voiced Sid's granny - she was an exception to the aforementioned visual/verbal joke argument as her greater comedy asset was undoubtedly her voice. For the record, it was ironic how Peter Dinklage voiced one of the largest pirates.
It's inevitable that the question "Is it better than it's predecessor(s)?" will be asked about Continental Drift. Well, whilst none of the sequels have been of the same quality of the original, I choose to only compare this one to the last one and the answer is yes, mainly due to the subtext of the story.
It revolves around the animals getting captured by pirate animals and doing their best to turn the tables on them. This could be interpreted as a message about how us humans, represented here as the animals, are capturing animals for our own self interest without any real sympathy. I'm no animal activist but I can safely say this is a relative approach for the filmmakers to go for - also considering as number three was about dinosaurs which have no relevance this present day - because the amount of environmental groups wanting for us to save these animals is of a large amount and ever-growing animals are becoming abused, unwanted, and abandoned by some of us. So on the socio-political level of filmmaking, Ice Age 4 has a good reason to exist.
All in all, Ice Age: Continental Drift is an entertaining addition to the series. Whilst it still proves that the series could have only gone downhill from the first one, it has a sufficient amount of reasons to be recommended to the target audience, children and fans of the series alike. Plus Scrat is still as entertaining a character as ever.
I will not spoil the ending but can say that it could be looked at as sequel bait but arguably, the series has gone long enough and I predict that a fifth film will really take its toll on it but time shall tell.