Bigger, better and cooler.

Rating: 8/10 (3 January 2009)

My Take: More elaborate than the original, and even better.
ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN is one of those rare instances that a sequel is better than the original, for being something sequels are usually criticized for: being bigger. THE MELTDOWN gives us exactly what sequels promise: more characters, bigger spectacle, add just plain more goodies that its predecessor. But the result is actually successful. While the more adult-oriented comedy might turn off its adult audiences, THE MELTDOWN has more characters, superior animation and even a slightly better story than the first (I did say slightly!). After discovering that the ice caps covering their peaceful valley is starting to thaw, the herd of animals must make their way across the valley to a wooden "ark" that would save them from the flooding water. On the other hand, Manny (voiced by Ray Romano), Sid (voiced by John Leguizamo) and Diego (voiced by Denis Leary) meets the meek Ellie (voiced by Queen Latifah), a female Mammoth who thinks she's a possum (striped rodent-like critters, likes to do Fear Factor-esquire stunts).
But what really steals the show is the interludes featuring the one and only Scrat, perhaps the real star in the original film, who is given much more to do here. Like midget version of Wile E. Coyote, little Scrat gets into more mischief, more trouble than he already had in the first film. Other than trying to bury his precious acorn, he either a.) tries to steal it back from a school of needle-teethed piranha or b.) snatch it from a persistent Condor chick. As a matter of fact, these little interludes save us from the feeble parts of the story. The Mammoth love-story is way too childish for a Mammoth that's voiced by Ray Romano or Queen Latifah (or in this case both). Some of the humor doesn't quite tickle your funny bone if your beyond, perhaps, the age of 10. But ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN, despite its shortcomings, is a surprisingly elaborate and more entertaining film than the first. And, once again, watch out for that Scrat!
Rating: **** out of 5.