Ice Age 2: The Meltdown

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Ice Age 2: The Meltdown - 31/3/2006 9:29:12 AM

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Post #: 1

RE: Ice Age 2: The Meltdown - 31/3/2006 9:56:33 AM

Castor Troy

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From: Rocky's graveside

" Story-wise, this can't hold a candle to its predecessor"

You mean the story where they were taking a cute little kid back to her family? Is that the amazingly complex story you're talking about?

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Post #: 2

RE: Ice Age 2: The Meltdown - 31/3/2006 9:58:10 AM

doctorolorinbats1975

Posts: 6787
Joined: 30/10/2005
From: Harrow

Well, it had an epic guest feel to it, as well as creating tensions in the group regarding Diego. This sounds like a road movie, but certainly one that is charming.

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Post #: 3

RE: Ice Age 2: The Meltdown - 31/3/2006 3:56:38 PM

Timon

Posts: 14545
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Bristol

There is a reason that Pixar Animation Studios (Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles) are the best in the business. They care about their films. Their whole dispute with Disney was over The House of Mouse�s insistence on making sequels when Pixar instead wanted to tell new stories that were far superior than any half-arsed cash in sequel could be. They take time and care over their films to ensure that the final product is the best that it can be � a fun often moving family film with jokes for kids and adults alike. If they ever make a sequel, like they did with Toy Story, they make sure that it�s not simply a rehashed version of the first film and try to do something different and often better.

The likes of DreamWorks (Shrek, Madagascar) and 20th Century Fox Studios (Ice Age) however just take the easy option of hiring celebrity voices, throwing in a bunch of pop culture jokes and if the film is successful, churn out a sequel as fast as possible to make more money. This is exactly what has happened with Ice Age 2 which is a shame considering they have had four years to do a decent job.

The first film was great fun (Kung fu dodos! What�s not to like?) with surprisingly witty banter between the main three characters (Sid the Sloth, Diego the Sabre Toothed Tiger and Manny the Mammoth) and I was hoping that the sequel would be more of the same � I was wrong. Instead what I got was a �by the numbers� sequel where the plot was almost identical to the first film - they have to get somewhere with only limited time and meet a few new characters (Ellie � a mammoth who thinks she�s a possum. Nowhere near as funny as you would think) and face a few obstacles. Oh wait, there is a villain�it�s a silent crocodile�or is it a killer fish�to be honest I didn�t care.

Fox have given us a film that has a few (three to be exact) laugh-out loud moments and none of the poignancy that the first film had. Remember in the first film where Manny saw the cave drawings and remembered the slaughter of his family? Well there�s nothing like that in this film � instead every time the film gets close to making the audience care for the characters, someone makes a fart joke.

The film has a few things going for it, namely Scrat the Rat and his never-ending quest to get his acorn and a few amusing lines between Manny and Diego but besides that the film is a real let down. All this film shows is how not to make a sequel and with DreamWorks planning on dragging out another Shrek film (Shrek The Third � see what they did there?), they better learn from 20th Century Fox�s mistakes.

2/5

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Post #: 4

- 31/3/2006 9:18:20 PM

mpcdaly

Posts: 52
Joined: 30/9/2005

I am hearing reports that in the US, fox have attached, the teaser for a movie about everyones favourite animated dysfuctional family. That right is tis the first glimpse of the Simpsons movie.
Cool, man!

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Post #: 5

Cute, funny and a joy - 2/4/2006 9:09:55 AM

cruticus

Posts: 51
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Sydney, Australia

This was a treat to watch. Although it was not like the previous one, I believe that this will still fill the joys of the young ones. Scrat, the lovable Squirrel is in the film on several occasions - possibly to not bore the children - and the cast was yet again, great! New additions, Queen Latifah and Seann William Scott were easy to get along with their characters and the regular trio, were excellent as usual. The Sleuth gets some real attention in this one whcih was a great to see - you'll be tapping your feet - Special FX were outstanding. Features of the water and the animals was a treat. Great family film - be mindful, Scratt will steal the show.

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Post #: 6

RE: Cute, funny and a joy - 2/4/2006 10:07:40 AM

DJ Rob C: Mark II!

Posts: 34808
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Christmas town

Great fun, Scrat is Gold yet again, and Will Arnett plays a vulture!

4/5

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Post #: 7

Ice Age 2 - 3/4/2006 1:09:40 AM

doncobaino

Posts: 14
Joined: 29/3/2006
From: Newtownabbey

Not a bad film as sequels go, enjoyable story, great effects and the ill-fated Scrat was a joy however Sean William Scott and Queen Latifa were actually quite annoying- and heres a nerdy picky question what does diego do for food if he is sucha good guy?

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Post #: 8

RE: Ice Age 2 - 3/4/2006 8:35:53 AM

AgentGoth

Posts: 17531
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Spanking The Re-animator...

Saw this last night and I think it's just as great as the first film. Diego was brilliantly deadpan as usual, Sid had me laughing all the way through as usual, and Manny was so bless with him finding lurve.

The show, however, was completely stolen by Scrat the Squirrel. The guy only had to appear on screen for everyone to start laughing.

And I'll also have to give huge amounts of credit to the effects. They were absolutely fantastic, especially the water.

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Post #: 9

RE: Ice Age 2 - 3/4/2006 3:45:39 PM

Sway

Posts: 8880
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Albuquerque

Can't wait to see this, as Ice Age is definitely one of my favourite animated movies after Monster's Inc. The most under rated I'd say!

Why the early release date up here though? Glasgow cinemas are showing it just now, and have been since 31st, but I noticed on the review that its not being released to the rest of the UK until 7th. Though my friend in Edinburgh says its not showing there yet either. Bizarre.

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Post #: 10

Ice Age 2: Didn't Melt My Heart! - 3/4/2006 4:38:12 PM

andys_girl

Posts: 9
Joined: 13/3/2006
From: England

I wasn't bowled over by this movie - yes, the animation was excellent, but the storyline was a tad dull. It made me smile in places but never laugh-out-loud. Also, the setting gets rather boring to watch -mostly white/blue ice, snow and water. My favourite out of all the characters were cute, Acorn-chasing squirrel-rat (?) Scrat, and Ellie the mammoth. We see Scrat and his antics dotted throughout the film, separate from Manny and co. His best scene is at the end, where he is in heaven, with blue skies, fluffy white clouds, copious amounts of *acorns*, and a GIANT acorn!! he's so ecstaticly happy....until a well-meaning Sid gives him the kiss-of-life and brings him back down to earth!!! Queen Latifah's Ellie was also funny because she was convinced at the beginning that she was a possum (like Crash and Eddie) which paved the way for some amusing situations! None of the other characters, however, particularly endeared me to them - Sid the sloth was weird-looking and irritating, Manny the mammoth was ok, but why did he have what looked like a tree-trunk stump sticking out of the top of his head??! I liked Diego, but that's probably because he's a kind of big cat, and I love anything remotely feline! ;o) The last animated movie I saw before this was Disney-Pixar's Chicken Little, which I thought was pretty poor - so Ice Age 2 is superior to that, but not up to the standard of the superb Toy Story 2 in terms of characters, storyline, setting, comedy etc... Despite my criticisms though, no doubt kids will love this film - and it's watchable enough to keep parents entertained too!

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Post #: 11

More fun than the original - 6/4/2006 12:36:04 PM

sull26

Posts: 30
Joined: 10/10/2005

The first Ice Age was fun enough, original and though-provoking - but if you want a more fun, crowd-pleasing, belly laugh of a movie then this is more of a winner. Yes, the plot is not really advanced (ice melts = animals flee), but this is the sort of movie where the plot is not the primary focus (look at the brilliant Finding Nemo). Therefore, the existing characters are given more of a humerous scope - primarily the nutt loving rodent who nearly stole the original movie - and extra ones are added, one in the shape of Queen Latifah's confused mammoth (who creates some of the more funnier moments). All in all if you like your films fun and colourful, then you should love Ice Age 2.

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Post #: 12

Ice Age 2 - 8/4/2006 3:09:38 PM

cluesy

Posts: 164
Joined: 11/10/2005

Really good fun. Perfect family entertainment, just enough storyline to keep it running and consistent laughs. The CGI is absolutely amazing, again. The film's worth seeing for Scrat alone.

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Post #: 13

- 9/4/2006 7:37:43 PM

woolies

Posts: 5
Joined: 7/3/2006

sad as is is to admit, but this is the best film i've seen this year. Given it did not have a great deal in the way of plot but who cares - it is a family film after all. Good, clean entertainment which is very sparce these days.

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Post #: 14

RE: - 10/4/2006 2:27:05 PM

LostLvr

Posts: 78
Joined: 8/2/2006
From: Beane's Dim Room

I saw this last week and thoroughly and completely enjoyed it with children and all us adults were laughing continuously. It is very funny, poignant, interesting and I recommend it to anyone who saw the first one. *two thumbs up*

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Post #: 15

Film was sickk - 11/4/2006 11:45:44 AM

Sumintelligent

Posts: 13
Joined: 27/10/2005

This film was brilliant, loved nearly everything about it, However, where the first film delivered laughs with sharp wit, this offered fewer laughs with slap stick and set pieces (although there was the few witty one liners). Also, there was one part where the CGI faultered, the bit where the dam caved in and all the water burst out, wtf was up! lol. The scrat skits, where amazing, so funny, laughed my head off nearly every time. I have to say i prefered the first film, but this comes in a close second. You lot have to go see it

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Post #: 16

ice age 2 - 11/4/2006 2:22:55 PM

frankenstien

Posts: 36
Joined: 28/3/2006
From: Manchester

o.k lets just get the bad stuff out of the way. not enough diego. thats it apart from that it was great even queen latifah was good and thats saying something.although i would have loved to have seen more sid and diego who are a great comedy duo but weren't in it enough together. i thought that the mini sloths were hilarious and the vultures version of food glorious food was pure comedy genius even if it was nowhere near as funny as the dodos in the first one. overall i think that this was a great film even if it wasn't as good as the first one.

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Post #: 17

Ice age 2 - 13/4/2006 10:44:46 AM

alicebowers

Posts: 1
Joined: 8/10/2005

I think that ice age 2 is the best film so far of 2006, i must admit i wasn't too keen on Ellie the new mammoth, but all in all its a fantastic film. Some people have been saying that it wasn't a laugh out loud film but i thought it was. The bit were the vultures sang food glorious food was hilarious and scrat was back! The very last we see of scrat was a bit of a surprize ,i thought he was dead, but in true scrat style he again dosen't get his nut. A must see for 2006 and i know that im going to buy it on DVD.

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Post #: 18

Ice Age 2...where did all the gags go - 13/4/2006 2:54:21 PM

HappyKat

Posts: 12
Joined: 4/10/2005
From: United Kingdom

It was sadly average....once again they shouldn't have made a sequel. Could have been better with an hour and half of Scrat chasing nuts, instead of sending us nuts

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Post #: 19

- 13/4/2006 4:56:27 PM

Superlad

Posts: 6
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Middlesbrough

Just been to see Ice Age 2. Thought that it was hilarious, loved the new additions in Ellie and her two Possum brothers. As with the first Ice Age, Scrat nearly stole the show with his quest for the nut. I especially thought that the scene with the singing vultures was fantastic! Pure genius! Loved the way that more animals were included in the story line this time, thought that it really help widen the scope of the film and introduce some funny characters for the main trio to bounce off. A very good and entertaining film, if they make 3rd (which i think is inevitable) then i hope it keeps in line with the first two and is just as funny.

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Post #: 20

RE: - 13/4/2006 10:58:04 PM

Paul2j

Posts: 107
Joined: 30/9/2005

Just back from Ice Age 2, and I loved it. It had a lot to live up to as I'm deeply in love with the first film - considering that, it's done well to send me home happy.

The new characters are cool, though I'd have preffered Ellie to have been voiced by someone other than Queen Latifah. There was a fairly decent story as well I thought, and lots of funny Scrat scenes to break up the story. I love it that Scrat interacted with Sid.

The small sloths were hilarious, and I think Manny is one of the best animated characters ever created.

9/10

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Post #: 21

RE: RE: - 13/4/2006 11:06:58 PM

DJ Rob C: Mark II!

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From: Christmas town

Have any other AD-nuts noticed Gob's great appearance in this?

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Post #: 22

Ice age 2 - 14/4/2006 7:46:36 PM

GavinD

Posts: 21
Joined: 14/4/2006
From: Chiswick

The first one was brilliant and Jon Leguizamo was brilliant as the Sloth Sid. With his cracking lines and just the things he does. The second one is about the end of the ice age ending. Yet again Jon is brilliant and this time Ray Romano made me laugh a bit too. Along with newcomers to the movie Sean William Scott and the others. As Pomus and Pomus/Mammoth which just keep making me laugh. It's sad to see that this is possibly the last of the Ice age films. They are both brilliant and hilarious. Hope they make a third somehow.

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Post #: 23

We Want Scrat: The Movie - 14/4/2006 8:22:20 PM

Movie Mogul

Posts: 47
Joined: 2/10/2005

OK, so this is a funny, entertaining affair; but let's get real: all we really want is an hour and a half of Scrat the Squirrel searching for his nuts. You don't necessarily need dialogue, which would be 20th Century Fox's first excuse for not doing it, as the scenes from Ice Age and its sequel clearly show. This little furry devil is the best thing about both films.

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Post #: 24

Ice Age - the Meltdown - 17/4/2006 6:05:38 PM

blair witch

Posts: 73
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Pennsylvania - United States

Ice Age - The Meltdown: {MAY contain unavoidable minor spoilers}
Manny, Diego and Sid (Ray Romano, Denis Leary and John Leguizamo) are back and ready for another adventure. Manny is a bit down as he realizes that he may very well be the very last of the big Mammoths. We also see Scrat (voiced by Chris Wedge) who is “still” after that ever-eluding nut. And it is he who we first see notice something wrong with the icy area he calls home. What is happening is a small thing we humans call global warming.
Manny, Diego and Sid also realize something is wrong and decide to journey with the other animals to safer place where the ice will not melt and destroy them. Along the way, the trio come across many various creatures. There are the vultures that are always looking for a free meal and are led by Lone Gunslinger (Will Arnett) and the slow-moving turtle that has the apt name of Fast Tonty (Jay Leno). We also see the trio meet up with a couple of new characters by the name of Crash and Eddie (Seann William Scott and Josh Peck). Oh did I mention the “third” possum?? Well, this is Elle (Queen Latifah) who is the biggest of the bunch. But there is something strange about Elle. She does not look like your normal possum. In fact, she looks a lot like well, Manny. Now Manny, Diego and Sid all realize that Elle is no possum. She is in fact, another Mammoth and it would be great for her and Manny to well, you know. But Elle is convinced that she is a possum and will have none of this silly idea that she is anything but a possum. Oh and Crash & Eddie are no help in telling her otherwise.
As the trio, well not a sextet (?){6}, head off to join the other animals and save what remains of their species. Will they catch up to the rest and be safe before the ice breaks and thousands of gallons of water submerge the entire area? Will Elle EVER realize she is not a possum or will she continue to hang upside down from the trees? And speaking of Elle, will M

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Post #: 25

Scrat rules. - 17/4/2006 11:39:34 PM

VincentHanna

Posts: 936
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: 30 minutes walk from Manchester city centre.

Scrat steals the show just like the penguins did in Madagascar.
Rest of the film actually holds up pretty well as well.
A good sequel.

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Post #: 26

Scrat rules! - 24/4/2006 9:09:09 AM

posty789

Posts: 11
Joined: 2/10/2005

Not quite as good as the first but still well worth seeing. Took my neice & nephew (6 & 8 years old) and I know they missed out on alot of the humour as this is definately aimed at the adults just as much, if not more than, the kids. Scrat is the hero once again and the funniest thing here, the animation is stunning but the film is let down a little by the storyline and the addition of an irrtitating Queen Latifah voiced partner for Manny. Surely Scrat has to get his own movie??

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Post #: 27

Rushed - 25/4/2006 8:21:27 PM

arfattack

Posts: 24
Joined: 23/12/2005

I think there should have been a far bigger gap between Ice Age and the release of it's inevitable sequel - this could have been so much better, if only more thought had gone into some half decent gags and a plot. And don't get me started on those possums..we've got Sid, do you need any funnier?!
This just left me in the hope that Toy Story 3 never comes out...I couldn't stand another awesome Children's franchise being tarnsihed with a shoddy follow up..Sorry folks!

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Post #: 28

RE: Rushed - 30/4/2006 2:09:07 PM

Sway

Posts: 8880
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Albuquerque

Finally got to see Ice Age 2 and I wasn't entirely impressed.

Ice Age happens to be my second favourite animated movie because of it's simple slapstick humour. I've always thought of Ice Age as being more directed towards kids, than both adults and kids (which the likes of Finding Nemo, Monster's Inc etc are) and this was part of it's appeal to me.

The second one I felt tried to change this and it wasn't as laugh out loud funny as I feel the first one is. Perhaps it was because I went to see it on my own, but I found myself laughing quite hard at only one part. (Sid, and the sloths, anyone?!

)

Not bad, but not what I'd been hoping for, and the inclusion of a whole host of other creatures kind of spoiled it for me. The two possums were greatly annoying and there were too many other random characters that just got in the way of my enjoyment.

I did enjoy the scene with the young Ellie and the baby possums though, but I'm not usually that sappy.

Don't think I'll be buying this when it comes out.

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Post #: 29

RE: Rushed - 1/5/2006 11:28:49 PM

Stanley Kubrick

Posts: 517
Joined: 7/4/2006

I have eventually got to see this film. Firstly, I have to say it wasn't as good as the first Ice Age, but then again what sequel is?.
Still I enjoyed the banter between the characters. Sloth is still my fav character in Ice Age purely because he manages to make me laugh at near enough everything e says... I mean he just looks funny.

Now for a couple of bad points. Firstly; the bit of the story with the swimming evils, I mean what was the point of that. I really didn't see the need to add this to the story line. Secondly; the Ellie character being a possum, honestly how do they come up with these stories? I just think this was a bit lame.

But, after all is said and done I enjoyed this film and I would buy it and add to my collection. I do feel however that they could have done alot more with the film.

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