Surprisingly close to home...

Rating: 8/10 (4 April 2013)

I took my 4 year-old for his birthday, hoping it would be the first theatrical experience he would make it all the way through (previous attempts included Megamind, Madagascar 3). It was a success, and all three of our attending generations thought the movie was pretty darn good. Grug the patriarch reminded me of myself, so presumably there are many fathers out there who feel the same. Misery loves company I guess. I thought the casting was spot on, except Nicolas Cage as Grug. The voice just didn't quite fit. My only other issue was with the more fantastical nature of the prehistoric beasts. I imagine the producers wanted to separate this film from any Ice Age comparisons. And the crazy creatures were definitely well done and fun. But I don't agree with the choice to go that route. First off, people are gonna compare the two films regardless. Second, this one seems to be taking more inspiration from Avatar. Are these early humans on an otherwise alien world? I would've preferred they stick to our existing ideas of pre-history. That said, the criticism isn't enough to wreck an otherwise successful family movie. The animation and special fx have reached yet another level of quality beyond recent previous achievements. We watched the first Toy Story later that night, and it seemed amazingly primitive in comparison. And the story hits home for sure... Highly recommended!