Should have stopped at 3

Rating: 4/10 (15 July 2012)

Question: How many top entertainers does it take to make an animated film? Answer: Apparently a whole slew of them. I guess the directors of this film thought that the more celebrities, the better the film would be. Not!! But I guess it did make for a pretty decent paycheck. Compared to other animated films of the summer, this one lacks in originality and freshness. I think the lessons that were trying to be conveyed in this film was a little too complicated for the very young crowd that was in the theater with me. The parts of the film that got the most laughs were every time the spotlight was put on Scrat (Chris Wedge). Even in the Ice Age predecessors, he was always the funniest. Maybe it is time for Scrat to get his own film. The young audience did not need dialog they just wanted to laugh. The other character that drew a lot of giggles was Sid (John Leguizamo). Sid along with Granny (Wanda Sykes) was a comedic match made in heaven. I saw an interview that Wanda did and initially she wanted to change her voice to sound older, but the director told her that her voice was perfect for the part. I think that she got a chuckle out of that. I do want to mention Peter Dinklage (Captain Gutt). He seems to be getting a lot of attention since he won a SAG and an Oscar for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones. I have to say that by the end of the film I grew a little weary of Captain Gutt. He was really starting to get on my last nerve. Peaches (Keke Palmer) was a typical teenager that had to deal with peer pressure, parental rules and misguided decision making. The hate/love relationship that built between Diego (Denis Leary) and Shira (Jennifer Lopez) did manage to give the film a little extra punch, but not much. The film wasn't all bad. There were a few laughs; however this franchise has been saturated. I definitely think that it is time to put this one to bed. I think that very young viewers will appreciate the animation and maybe pre-teens will get the message, but this film was not designed to do both. All that being said, I am going to have to give this film a mammoth amber light.