Ice Age: Continental Drift
Directed by Steve Martino, Mike Thurmeier
Starring Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo
Although the fourth installment in the successful Ice Age franchise may come up a little short in the story department, Continental Drift offers a surprising amount of genuine laughs and some admirably imaginative action sequences.
This time around, Manny, Diego and Sid are sent adrift on a floating iceberg following a continental upheaval. The gang must find a way home while contending with a host of dangerous sea creatures and a villainous ape-pirate, voiced brilliantly by Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones).
The other welcome additions to the cast include Jennifer Lopez as a sultry sabre-toothed cat, who also provides the convenient romantic sub-plot for Diego, and the always delightful Wanda Sykes as Sids cantankerous granny sloth.
Much of the films shtick is familiar at times and the plot is simplistic, yet this fourth outing is more memorable than 2009s Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Visually, the movie is at times stunning with some truly impressive 3D scenes that serve to ramp up the effects well.
Several set pieces, including a fearsome iceberg pirate ship, create just enough visual creativity to keep things entertaining. Comedic action has always played a massive role in the series and theres no shortage of it in Continental Drift.
Instead of relying on generic chases and escapes, the creators clearly put some thought into the films many adrenaline-fueled sequences, only adding to the charms of the film. Adults can breathe a sigh of relief; the fourth Ice Age offers enough charms to keep the adventures chugging along.
