Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) User Reviews

Sometimes hilarious yet disappointing ...

[sarahbonmariage · 6/10 · 26 June 2012]

For years I have been a huge fan of the Ice Age series and had been expecting this new movie for months! Needless to say I was counting the days until the release of the movie and the hilarious teasers were really making the waiting difficult ...

I saw it tonight and have to admit that I feel really disappointed ... Was I expecting too much ? We were a group of young adults who grew up with the movies, or at least liked them a lot and we felt let down. The storyline feels a little weak, I thought there would be a lot of adventure and action, as in the 3 previous ones where you don't see how time flies ... This one, if not boring, is too simple, not to mention incredibly predictable. There is no twists and turns. When you think about the first episode, yes, you realize how poor the scenario is in this new one.

I admit there's been a real effort to create an original story that might bring the characters in another world and make them live another adventure, different from the previous ones. I think this part is a total failure. Not to mention the "song" they put in the movie, it was nothing but ridiculous and irrelevant, especially for a movie series as famous as Ice Age. I thought it was unnecessary.

But since I laughed a few times and feel really bad about writing such a "negative" review, I have to admit that some of the scenes were absolutely hilarious and the characters have been kept as funny as they used to be, especially Sid (and his incredible grandmother). It's just a pity that the funny parts are so negligible ... You smile a lot, you laugh sometimes, but certainly not during the whole movie.

Maybe I am too old to appreciate this movie as I should have, as I'm sure the kids will love it and the movie will have a lot of success this summer. I don't wish it the contrary, I just watched it with my not-so-kid-anymore-but-very-nostalgic-eyes and went out of the theater with the feeling that something from before was clearly missing ...

it was fun, but not the best of the series

[lagudafuad · 6/10 · 6 July 2012]

Ice Age: Continental Drift is funny, and i had fun watching it and looked forward to seeing what this weird herd is up to now.

It is the fourth installment of the Ice Age series and the seventh CG production of Blue Sky Studios and the first sequel not to be directed by Carlos Saldanha who will be directing RIO part 2.

What I love must about this flick is the introduction of a partner for Diego; a white tiger lady is added ladies and gentlemen. The movie also has the whole fun of the old clichés, which I seem not to be tired of seeing. It also showcases cool CG effect; I loved the water effect most.

The plot was educational (as long as you know it is bogus) due to Scrat's (Squirrel) hunt for acorns he triggers the break-up of the world continent into the continents as we know them today, which cause Manny to lose his family.

Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure to find his family, after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world, and learn why it is good to be part of a family herd, than being part of a group where one person leads and other follow.

Well, the new directors weren't that bad, as the movie did have some fun screenplays and events that you will be thrilled to see. As we watch this creatures move from the Ice Age to the present age the pictures tell stories that are kinda informative and entertaining.

Hey! I must have missed that geography class when they taught that Scrat the squirrel created the whole world.

Although this is not the best addition to the Ice Age series it was fun to watch. And the movie kinda opens doors to new additional sequels.

But I hope Blue Sky won't bother making any more.

I enjoyed it

[quinnaj · 7/10 · 24 June 2012]

Attended a packed preview screening yesterday (the film opens here next Thursday)with my wife and 6 year old daughter and must say that if you liked the previous Ice Ages then this one will not disappoint. Kids loved it and plenty there for the adults to relate to and enjoy as well. Animation quality(in 2D)was top notch and story line was good and with plenty of humour and action a plenty. A few of the subplots were educational as well as exploring the values of friendship,loyalty and the like which is probably standard fare for these types of films. As a 47 year old bloke I enjoyed it and would not hesitate in recommending it to anyone but especially for the target audience of young families you can't go wrong.

Fun for the whole family.

[Troy_Campbell · 7/10 · 1 July 2012]

Although not regarded in the same league as the Pixar and Disney output, the initial three Ice Age instalments collected over $2bn at the worldwide box office. (Rather surprisingly, that's $100m more than the Toy Story trilogy earned.) Posting figures as huge as that means we get treated to another adventure with mammoth Manny (Ray Romano), sabre-tooth tiger Diego (Denis Leary) and silly sloth Sid (John Leguizamo); this time with pirates. Like each episode before it, Ice Age 4 prides itself in offering up goofy laughs and goofier characters, with the ragtag bunch of pirates – led by Peter Dinklage's droll Captain Gutt and assisted by Nick Frost's uproarious elephant seal Flynn – the source of much joy. The old gang don't dissatisfy either: Sid is the standout as usual but Diego gets more laughs than normal and Scrat's little journey is ever-amusing. The serious Manny is still, well, the serious Manny, but you can't win them all. The bucket load of action remains too, however nothing here tops the dinosaur rumbling in part three. Continental Drift is gratifying escapism for the whole family that, despite being the fourth outing for these prehistoric creatures, shows few signs of letting up.

As Expected

[saadgkhan · 7/10 · 10 October 2012]

Ice Age: Continental Drift – CATCH IT (B+) What we can say about Ice Age, love it or hate it you will go and watch these crazy fun animals surviving the Ica Age. The first movie was excellent but after that we all know what to expect from Ice Age franchise. And let's be honest so far they have delivered their best. The story may not be that refreshing or something extraordinary but they do manage to make us laugh and involve in their adventures.

The voices by Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Jennifer Lopez, Keke Palmer, Peter Dinklage, Wanda Sykes, Heather Morris, Drake and Nicki Minaj.

In the end, I enjoyed Ice Age 4 but just like the previous installment in the end it was little too loud but hey it's a kid's movie so I think it OK.

Ice Age 4-A worthy sequel

[xboy614 · 7/10 · 5 July 2012]

I loved Ice Age the first one to death when I first watched it. I own it and every once and awhile I go to my DVD cupboard and pick it up and watch it. I disliked the sequel, Ice Age: Meltdown. The second sequel i hated too. They added new characters and I missed the chemistry and the funny lines that happened between just Sid the sloth, Manny and Diego the sabre tooth tiger. They added new characters which were sometimes funny but I missed the same three from the first one. In this third sequel the team must have realized this by splitting Sid, Manny and Diego with Sid's funny, odd grandma sloth away from the others on a race to get back to the herd and to get rid of these pirates. The pirates are entertaining as ever and very funny, the monkey played by Peter Dinklage is really good and the main plot flies along at a terrific pace. The jokes are fresh (most of them) and funny and you can't help liking this film. The side plots can get a bit cliché but I ignored them.

Keeps getting better!

[apb216 · 8/10 · 13 June 2013]

Obviously, the original can never be touched. That being said, people tend to think that the sequels get worse. Nowadays, they aren't stopping at three and Ice Age is no exception. Granted, the released sequels aren't necessarily better, but they aren't bad! As long as you don't take them too seriously, like most people on here do, you can have fun with it and just enjoy the ride. Of the sequels, I enjoyed this one the most. I thought the plot was reasonably realistic and I enjoyed the characters, new and old. The thing that made me giddy with excitement was realizing the captain was played by Peter Dinklage! I am a huge fan of him, being a fan of Game of Thrones, and he played a fantastic villain. In contrast, I am not a fan of Jennifer Lopez by any means and I liked her character as well...that may or may not have anything to do with the fact that I really like white tigers.

It's got laughs, great characters, warm moments, life lessons, and even some mythical creatures! And we get to see a bit more of Scrat...and who doesn't love that silly little squirrel thing? I think this sequel has topped 2 & 3 and is definitely worth watching!

I really like the pirate addition

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 1 December 2014]

Scrat is at it again. He falls to the center of the earth. As he chase the acorn, he starts rotating the core setting the continents to drift. Manny is overprotective of Peaches as she falls for Ethan. Sid's family accidentally runs into him and dumps Granny with him. Manny, Sid, Diego and Granny get separated from Ellie, Peaches, and Louis when the continents separate. Manny and the gang get captured by pirate Captain Gutt and his crew on his iceberg ship.

Sure it doesn't make sense but I love the addition of the pirates. This is not a franchise that needs to be scientifically correct. The pirates are a fun added bonus in what could have been just another Ice Age road trip. It's like the cast of Ice Age gets thrown into a Pirates of the Caribbean movie. It's silly. It's rip roaring fun for the whole family.

Keeps the series going strong!

[DJKwa · 8/10 · 24 June 2012]

Fantastic film! As a fan of the series, i was a bit skeptical that they were taking it too far however, if this film is any indication, the series is as strong as ever! You feel comfortable returning to the characters for another adventure and i don't see fans of the series being disappointed. The film is fast and fun and carries excellent messages of the importance of family and the importance of being yourself. A bunch of new characters freshen up the film, with a band of pirates, including a love interest for Diego and Sid is accompanied by his grandmother who is humorously oblivious to the dangerous situations the characters get into. Scrat also gets plenty of time chasing his elusive acorn, with the footage that was released as part of advertisements (Scrat's Continental Crack-Up)comprising in the film. However, there is also a hilarious scene at the end where he finally reaches the treasure island that the map on the acorn (seen in the advertisements) leads to.

A great, fun, family film that boasts crisp and detailed animation that actually makes great use of 3D. Definitely recommended!

*The short film that precedes the film, 'The Longest Daycare'- a Simpsons short, is a pleasant addition to the main film. It is a silent short that features Maggie Simpson and Baby Gerald, where Maggie tries to save a butterfly from the daycare from the clutches of the baby. It is clever and fun and it is great to see more films having original shorts like Pixar's fantastic ones.

A good entry in the series, but not a terrific movie

[siberiandante · 6/10 · 9 July 2012]

Ice Age: Continental Drift is the fourth installment in the Ice Age series, which was started a decade ago by FOX when they tried their hand at animation again after Titan A.E. became a box office bomb. The series follows a group of quite different prehistoric animals and the plot that it follows has been so far a formulaic "go from point A to B" story.

As the title suggests, Ice Age 4's plot revolves around the separation of continents. The herd is separated and while the original trio goes into an adventure overseas, the "half opossum, half mammoth" family tries to reach a rock bridge to meet up there. The film's animation is fantastic (you could hardly say a mainstream animated movie doesn't have terrific CGI) and backgrounds and water effects are beautiful, but the movie's storytelling is too fast paced and there are too many characters for them to develop while the movie lasts.

If the series is too formulaic what is the appeal of this movie? For anyone who has seen the whole series, you'll be happy to know Diego meets a female saber-tooth on the way and Sid is reunited with his sloth family. Amongst the new characters are a crew of pirates that capture the trio while they explore the ocean and become the main antagonists of the film.

The movie is overall quite worth it to watch with your family, but even the third one (which I didn't like a lot) had a better paced storytelling. New characters, in my opinion, don't really display a lot of personality traits other than Granny Sloth, but it is quite the enjoyable flick I would watch a few times on theaters.

The 3D, by the way, is not really worth it and the movie doesn't make use of it correctly. There were some moments when the background looked it was over the characters and that almost gave me a head ache. If you're taking your family to watch the movie don't waste your money on 3D.

Should have stopped at 3

[cattjones · 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.

Entertaining, but not so much as before

[ashfox · 6/10 · 10 November 2012]

I have always liked the Ice Age series up to the third one. In fact, this is the first time that I thought I would watch it in theater rather than getting a DVD later. The 3D was spectacular in terms of visual appearance, but I would not rate it as good as the previous Ice Age movies.

The plot during this adventure is short and simple. There's no surprises, and everything is pretty much along the line of a typical friendship/family/hero type story. The whole story took place in 3, 4 "in-movie" days, much shorter than the previous ones which had a constant string of events. By the end of this movie, I couldn't believe the story's over. Not a lot happened before the villains are apprehended and the world returns to peace and harmony, as in any of the Ice Age movies. However, this probably means their target audience are younger than the ones before. I guess this is the biggest drag down for fans who have been watching since the first one.

They also did a sub-par job in the music. Despite having no improvement in quality, they recycled music from the second movie in the series, "the Meltdown". I bought the soundtracks after watching that movie thinking it was spectacular. After listening to it for years now, I could virtually name the tracks as they come up in the Continental Drift. From the title sequence to the Ending, pretty much everything without a vocal voice was identical to something I've heard before. It feels like they just copied and pasted from before - The soundtracks are awesome, but when it's used once too many, it just doesn't have the same impact anymore.

I still gave this movie a 6 because of, well, what Fox and Blue Sky has always been best at. The vivid colors and the "just right" graphical presentation is sure a feast on the eyes. And don't forget about Scrat, who's never involved but just somehow miraculously leads the story. This movie is definitely great for fun, there are many (supposedly deliberate) punch lines. Although some puns fail when I go "huh? that's lame", I can feel that they are trying to make it as funny as possible. I'd say that they are making this movie more like a feature-length, high quality TV cartoon special rather than a real theatrical movie. There's just not that much thrill to it.

The addition of the new characters seems only to provide a villain to the storyline. There doesn't seem to be much careful consideration - from what I see, it's perfectly fine to replace any of them with another animal or personality and the story stays valid. The characters' specialties just do not come together and contribute to the story, another reason why it feels like the story was written without the context of the movie. Not even the prolonged characters like Manny, Diego, Sid and Peaches.

Bottom line: This movie is mediocre. It could do as a really nice cartoon, but it lacks the punch in the planning.

Influence of the squirrel on the formation of continents

[Bored_Dragon · 7/10 · 23 December 2018]

"Two sloths, a mammoth and a saber... You guys are like a start of a bad joke."

I'm not sure if it is my current depression speaking, or maybe I'm just tired of this franchise, but it seems to me that it slowly recedes. Visually, the film is superbly done, it is interesting and cute and holds the attention, but every next sequel is less funny than the previous, and this time not once have I laughed out loud. Still, I can not point on any other flaws, so I'll rate it

7/10

A flawed but fun addition to the series

[Karlamon · 6/10 · 8 July 2012]

It has been ten years since we saw our Sub-Zero Heros for the first time, and as a long-term Ice Age fan, I have experienced some ups and downs with the series. The first two movies I have really adored, especially the second one for its relaxed story and beautiful animation. But by the time they jumped the shark with the dumb addition of dinosaurs in the third film and the incoherent Christmas special (in which Christmas didn't exist), this made me loose faith in the series. Despite low expectations for this latest addition, I did opt to attend a 3D screening and I was quite surprised about how much fun I had. While Ice Age 4: Continental Drift is quiet enjoyable, its heavily flawed too.

This episode of the highly successful series see's Manny, Diego and Sid separated from the others on a sheet of ice after Scrat the saber-tooth squirrel accidentally causes Pangaea to break up with his acorn (which you've probably seen earlier in Scrat's Continental Crack-up). On the way, they find Sid's granny as a stowaway, discover a new land and come across a bunch of pirates in which Diego falls in love with one of them; a female saber-tooth called Shira. Meanwhile back at home Manny's teenage daughter Peaches finds herself in a relationship conflict with a mammoth named Ethan and a mole hog called Louis, while at the same time having to avoid the disaster caused by Scrat.

Phew! At first impression, this seems like a lot of story to get through in a 94 minute movie. However, the storytelling is all played smoothly, if predictably, but also suffers from a number of unexplained story elements like where did the pirates come from and why they became pirates in the first place. The biggest plot hole has to be the fact that the Pangaea continent Scrat splits up is entirely out of continuity with the Ice Age period since this was meant to happen millions of years prior. Did they makers even do research on this? Couldn't it have just been an simpler approach instead? I found many parts of the film to feel borrowed or rehashed from other animated films, including previous Ice Age films, and with the large amount of story, a few elements aren't focused deep enough including Diego and Shira's relationship.

Despite these issues however, here is a lot to like in this entry. As you would expect from Blue Sky, the animation is very colourful and fluid, the most impressive elements having to be the sea storms as they are well-detailed and thrilling to watch, but it has a been-there-done-that feeling since we are all familiar with the characters and setting. Plus the movie has good use of 3D which isn't too distracting or barely noticeable and I soon forgot that I was wearing the glasses. The humor in this one is pretty hit-and-miss, but when it hits, its quite funny. With the old characters retaining their personalities (which is faithful to them), there's a lot of new characters to freshen things up. While I found Sid's granny a bit annoying at times, I did particularly enjoy Peter Dinklage's evil performance as Captain Gutt as with the other pirates. However my two person favorites were Peaches and Louis because of their character development and nice (if slightly clichéd) friendship, which is something I could relate to, and I thought Josh Gad was a good choice for Louis' sweet and caring personality.

So overall, I'd have to say that Ice Age 4 was a pretty fun ride for me and was much better than I expected despite its problems. Is it great? Well I can't say its as amazing as the first two, but at least its a bit better than the third. I'm glad that I saw it, but I think the series just doesn't feel the same as it was back in 2002. It seems to be missing the nostalgia and charm that the first movie had. And with that said, I suggest its best for Fox to end this saga here instead of continuing to milk and worsen the beloved series. A fifth film is just unnecessary.

Great animation and some nice characters, but perhaps a sequel too far

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 17 August 2012]

I really liked the first Ice Age film, enjoyed the second but was mixed on the third. I loved Mammoth Christmas and Continental Crack-Up though. I do consider Ice Age: Continental Drift the weakest of the series with the sense that it was a sequel too far and that the franchise was flagging. However it is not a bad movie. The animation is absolutely great, the scenery is just gorgeous and the colours very vibrant. The characters are also modelled very well. The music score is beautiful and rousing on the whole, there are a couple of amusing moments- the beginning is a riot- and there are some nice characters. Scrat continues to steal every scene he's in and Sid and Granny are a real delight. Captain Gutt is a nice addition also. The voice actors do fine jobs, Peter Dinklage is deliciously evil, Ray Romano and Dennis Leary are just as strong and John Leguizamo is hilarious. Conversely, the story is weak on the whole, thin on the ground and sometimes drags, while the script lacks wit and freshness. Peaches I didn't care for as a character either, coming across as stereotypical and bratty. Last but not least, the musical number, not only was it awfully written with a rushed melody and unfunny lyrics but there was absolutely no need for it to be there in the first place. Overall, not bad but didn't wow me. I do think they should stop here before the standard gets worse. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Another Wonderful Adventure

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 7 October 2012]

When Scrat accidentally provokes a continental cataclysm with storm, Manny is separated from Ellie and Peaches in an iceberg with Diego, Sid and Granny but he promises that he will find a way to return home.

While crossing the ocean, they are captured by the cruel pirate Captain Gutt and his crew. However they escape and Manny plots a plan to steal Captain Gutt's ship and return to his homeland in a dangerous voyage through the sea. But the cruel pirates seek revenge against Manny and his family and friends.

"Ice Age: Continental Drift" is another wonderful adventure of Manny, Diego and Sid and their family and friends. I love this franchise that support the funny plots in positive values such as love, family, friendship and loyalty that seem to be forgotten in the present days of worldwide intolerance, selfishness and corruption. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A Era do Gelo 4" ("The Ice Age 4")

Chix Chat on Film Review: Ice Age with increased star power..

[EmmaDinkins · 6/10 · 15 July 2012]

Ice Age Continental Drift is the fourth film in this animated series that follows the migration of a group of unlikely friends across continents as their lives evolve. Manny (Ray Romano) and Ellie (Queen Latifah) now have to contend with a teenage Peaches (Keke Palmer) and just about everything surrounding that relationship and her growth was so cliché. Any and every teenage coming of age story ever written, acted out in a play or on screen was covered in one-liners like 'just be yourself', which we know isn't possible since teenagers typically don't know who they are. This story introduced a number of new characters which most of which we will likely see in the next installment. With the whole teenage scenario came Ethan (Drake) the object of Peaches affection. We finally get a glimpse into the sloth family and have a better understanding of the reason Sid's (John Leguizamo) a sloth apart, this story brought another new character his Granny (Wanda Sykes). As things get adventurous we encounter another group of unlikely companions led by Captain Gutt (Peter Dinklage) a primate who is just mean for no apparent reason, but his crew included Shira (Jennifer Lopez), who comes with the best storyline. My favorite character of them all for whatever reason is and has always been Diego (Dennis Leary) so to see in the trailers that a female saber is now in the picture led me to hope that he would finally meet his match. As always the animation looks great, even though the stories are very elementary. I tried to stay interested by calling upon my inner child during the viewing but at one point almost dozed off. This could have something to do with just returning home from a Mississippi Gulf vacation that included late nights, but I digress. This film targets young children and during the screening the physical comedy garnered the desired reaction, laughter. There was an entire Ewok adventure that caused some ooos for cuteness, and there was a slightly frightening siren segment that caused some ahhs. The whole opening segment featuring Scrat chasing that nut was so absurd that I wanted to leave but figured that I should stay since those episodes would just be sprinkled throughout the film and are not the entirety of the story. I was not impressed by much of anything in this film, but as a summer release for kids and based on the sounds in the theater it clearly worked for them, for that reason I give it an amber light.

Drifting Further Away From The Charm Of The Original

[jaredpahl · 4/10 · 13 July 2016]

The Ice Age series is one of the more endearing animated franchise from the past decade. The first was a heartwarming and genuinely funny adventure taking place during the time of mammoths, sabertooth tigers, and clumsy sloths. The first sequel lost a lot of that magic, but Dawn of the Dinosaurs did do some fresh things with the series. However, generally, over time, the films have gained plenty of characters, but lost most of its charm. The fourth in the series, Continental Drift, is the least exciting, least funny, and cheapest of the bunch. That's not to say that Ice Age 4 doesn't have its moments: the main characters still have their appeal and there are a few good laughs, but it is clear that the Ice Age train is running out of steam here.

Continental Drift kicks off with the lovable rodent Scrat causing the continents to drift apart. The trio of Manny, Diego, and Sid are soon embarking on an adventure adrift on the open sea. They meet up with pirates (and a whole collection of new characters) and try to find their way home. The plots of the Ice Age films have gotten simpler as they go, instead relying on introducing as many new characters as possible.

The problem with Ice Age 4 is that none of the new characters are memorable, funny, or charming. The effort just seems to be down here. Ray Romano, Dennis Leary, and John Leguizamo, still manage to breath some life into the picture, but the passion is clearly not there like it was in 2002. The animation is also less-than-stellar. Ice Age Continental Drift could be a TV movie and I wouldn't know the difference. It's just cheap.

There are some moments of wit and excitement in Ice Age 4, but on the whole, it is an exercise in diminishing returns. Most of the passion and effort of the series is gone, leading to a generic and, dare I say, boring animated adventure. Look elsewhere for family fun.

42/100

Still Strong After All These Years!

[g-bodyl · 9/10 · 31 January 2014]

Since the first Ice Age debuted in 2002, there now have been three sequels with this film, Continental Drift being the third one. Despite the poor reviews, I enjoyed this film. I have been a fan of the series since it originally came out and while not having the magic of the first film, it still has the charms, zany characters, themes of friendship/family, good animation, and the comedy that we have come to love from Manny, Sid, and Diego.

This film reunites our favorite heroes as the land they know begins to break up and create problems for everyone. Manny and the gang are separated from his wife and daughter and while trying to get back to them, they are captured by a group of pirates bent on making their lives miserable.

This voice cast still boasts an impeccable voice cast led by our favorites: Ray Romano, Denis Leary, and John Leguizamo. Queen Latifah does solid voice work as well. On the other hand, Nicky Minaj was in this movie and all I can say is....ugh.

Overall, Ice Age: Continental Drift is still an entertaining adventure even though I fear it may be losing some mojo. Children will definitely enjoy this and so will fans of the series. It has crisp animation, silly comedy, and also a few good songs such as that one called, "We Are Family." That is a perfect title for a film that relies on friendship and family bonding. I rate this film 9/10.

Very funny and entertaining.

[richieandsam · 7/10 · 12 July 2013]

ICE AGE 4: CONTINENTAL DRIFT

I was fully expecting this to get old now. I thought part 3 started to slip into the monotonous… but this pulled it back. I thought it was very funny and really good.

The story is about Manny and his friends. They get separated from Ellie and have to find their way back to his family as the planet goes through a complete meltdown.

The original voice cast members return as their characters… Ray Romano as Manny, John Leguizamo as Sid & Denis Leary as Diego.

There were a few new characters too. I loved the pirates that kidnapped them all. They were really funny and they fit into the film really well. You also get to meet Sid's granny. She was hilarious. She has not teeth and watching her to try and eat some fruit is so funny.

Other voices were provided by Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Peter Dinklage, Wanda Sykes, Jennifer Lopez, Queen Latifah, Nick Frost, Alan Tudyk & Nicki Minaj.

As always though, the funniest character was Scrat. He is such a great character. I am surprised there is not a spin off movie yet just set on him. He is and always has been the star of the movies. Besides… without Scrat, there would be no movie… he causes all the mess in the first place.

The film is full of action and adventure, which is what you want when watching a family film. The kids will love this. I watched it with a load of adults… but I will put it on again for my daughter as she loved the other 3.

I will give this film 7 out of 10.

Very entertaining and made the Ice Age films more appealing again… but I still hope they don't make any more as I don't want it to get stale.

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Surprisingly good!

[lizzrob1978 · 7/10 · 19 July 2012]

Took my little girl at the weekend, expecting to get a decent kip whilst lounging in the premier seats and couldn't have got it more wrong! A really good sequel and the Ice Age saga doesn't seem to have got complacent or boring as they've progressed when other sequels have a habit of getting quite dull and tedious by now! Really hope Ice Age now STOP at number 4, before they do become boring and lose their appeal! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone of any age and will definitely be buying this when its released on DVD and also revisiting the old ones before then, although i might have to also purchase a 3D TV to go with it!

The franchise's most action-packed instalment yet, this is a fast-paced adventure packed with thrills and laughs- and of course Scrat

[moviexclusive · 7/10 · 7 July 2012]

You can't blame franchise newcomers Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier for sticking with formula- after all, the past three entries have grown increasingly successful on the back of a similar template. So fans of the prehistoric toon series will be comforted to know that once more, the unlikely trio of Manny the woolly mammoth, Sid the sloth and Diego the tiger are forced to rely on each other as some cataclysmic event forces them to migrate from their homely habitats for safer territory. And oh yes, there's always Scrat's pursuit of his prized acorn thrown in for good measure.

In fact, from the occasional diversion, Scrat's ceaseless quest now sets in motion the chain of events in the story- though keener audiences might recognise the familiarity of this sequence with that of 'Scrat's Continental Crack-up', a short which Fox attached to 'Gulliver's Travels' back in 2010. Nonetheless, it's amusing all the same, and culminates in the separation of Pangaea, the huge land mass from which the various continents originated from. No thanks to Scrat, Manny gets separated from his wife Ellie (Queen Latifah) and teenage daughter Peaches (Keke Palmer), and spend the rest of the movie trying to get back to them.

It's by far their most action-packed adventure yet- even more so than their previous encounter with the dinosaurs- and therefore fully poised to exploit the possibilities offered by 3D. Indeed those hesitant at shelling out the extra bucks for the additional dimension will find this a worthy investment, as directors Martino and Thurmeier are not shy to turn their adventure into a glorified roller-coaster ride- especially in the numerous POV shots when one character or another slides across the ice, glides down the glaciers and flies through the air. Scoff at the cheap thrills if you must, but there's no denying that it makes for great fun particularly for the kids.

To get into action mode, recurrent series writer Michael Berg and his newbie partner Jason Fuchs (working from a story by Berg and Lori Forte) create an irascible villain in the form of mangy ape Captain Gutt (Peter Dinklage)- the leader of a motley band of pirates including an elephant seal named Mr Flynn (Nick Frost) and a white sabre-toothed tiger named Shira (Jennifer Lopez). While Diego gets a love interest in Shira, Manny gets to show off his masculine side with a mano-a-mano fight against Gutt, whose paths he inadvertently cross when he destroys the latter's ship-berg (that's the best name we could come up with for their icebergs turned ships) and then makes off with the latter's replacement.

Alongside the main act of Manny and Gutt, other characters also get their own stories- Sid is visited by his cantankerous granny (Wanda Sykes) similarly abandoned by his family; and Peaches distances herself from her best friend Louis (Josh Gad) in an attempt to keep up with the in-crowd (voiced in celebrity cameos by Drake, Nicki Minaj and Glee cheerleader Heather Morris) while going against the expressed wishes of her overprotective father Manny. It all comes to a neat closure of course, and even though none of these story arcs are inventive, they at least succeed in keeping the comic energy up throughout the movie.

And certainly, both Martino and Thurmeier deserve credit for sustaining a brisk snappy pace all the way, avoiding the stretches of dull that plagued the first two 'Ice Age' films. More than any of the previous instalments, this fourth entry confidently rests on the charms of its lead characters Manny, Sid and Diego and less on the zaniness of Scrat. It's a surest sign yet that the franchise is truly coming into its own, further exemplified by the leaps and bounds by which Fox's Blue Sky Studios has improved its technical standards, and you can bet that as formulaic as it is, this franchise isn't quite going the way of the ice age anytime soon.

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A very nicely done movie: You'll love this if you like animation ones..

[spidyvinay · 8/10 · 31 July 2012]

Fox Animation provides another brilliant addition to the sequel in the name of Ice Age 4 Continental Drift. For the previous viewers of the Ice Age, this movie offers you what all you can ask from it. There is the cuteness of a cartoon movie, the wit combined with a light sense of humour which is so lovely to keep the movie lively all along, the sweetness of the romanticism, the valour for the true sense of belongingness, the sensibility of a lovely herd. The saber – Deigo which was alone for a while now finds a partner. So I am imagining the next sequel they make, they may have something in it for Sid.

The movie in itself is a brilliant watch. Cartoon lovers would love the animation in this, it keeps up all the promises it makes for the movie. The introductory scene itself is a brilliant move, the continental drift is shown is such a witty and a humorous way, that very scene got me hooked on to the movie. From then on it was a smooth sailing, the movie gives the witty punches in the right places and the times, the 3D view is brilliant. It certainly is worth watching a cartoon movie in 3D, it enhances the viewing experience to a whole new level, thanks to Tin Tin for introducing us to the 3D in animation..........

The movie revolves around the plot of the continental drift, how the planets split and what happens to the ice. The mammoth Manny is separated from the family and the quest is about Manny getting back to his family. En route, the saber Deigo meets his love who later goes on to join the herd. A new villain is introduced and the concept of a pirate ship is brought out beautifully. The whole setting is brilliant, the screenplay, choreography, all come together to make the viewing experience a very enjoyable one. The movie holds us together for the whole two hours. The entertainment factor is definitely guaranteed. The theatre was almost full at about 2 in the noon on a weekday. So it does manage to draw the crowd consistently.

The movie is cute, sweet and a delight : kids would love it and so would the romantics. It certainly is a good watch. I would rate it at least a 4 on 5. For the choice of movies this week, I would certainly say this one is a must watch.

Vinay Nagaraju http://muktamanassu.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/ice-age-4-continental- drift-movie-review/

Childishly Funny !

[phadvijayanand · 7/10 · 31 July 2012]

In India it released on 27th July & I saw it on 31st July. But I was surprised to see only 15 people in theater (Though can understand it was weekday !)

I was waiting for this movie since I first saw it's trailer. The 3 parts were amazing & each one better than the earlier one.

Good: This movie is a bit childish, humor is less compare to other three parts. But surely this doesn't make you bore. 1. Story Story is nice but it is not that big you expect, specially when you see families getting apart. You expect a lot, but the story doesn't deliver that much, but delivers enough to keep you busy. 2. Comedy: Nice one, First part was stolen by Diego, second by Crash & Eddie, third by Buck & Now forth by Granny, yes, for her, it's a must watch film. 3. Action: OK.

BAD: 1. About story: as I said above could have been better.

Verdict:

Go & watch, this is a good story. Total 7/10 !

A Definite Decline In The Series' Quality

[sddavis63 · 4/10 · 15 July 2012]

As with most sequels, the quality of the Ice Age movies is definitely regressing. I've enjoyed the others in the series (well, actually, I haven't seen The Meltdown, but I've seen the original and Dawn of the Dinosaurs) but I found Continental Drift to be disappointing in comparison. The animation is good as always, but there's too much in this that's too similar to what we've seen before (and, frankly, Scrat the sabre-toothed squirrel is getting tired and boring; same sub-plot every single time.)

In Continental Drift the original content came across to me as silly and overdone. As the land begins to drift apart (quite suddenly) Manny, Sid and Diego are trapped on a floating block of ice, desperately trying to get back to their "herd." Then they spend basically the entire movie fighting a gang of pirates led by a primate named Captain Gutt. This battle goes on and on and on. It makes for a movie that's a little bit (well, a lot) more violent than the other Ice Age movies and while there are some humorous moments (largely revolving around Sid's grandma) it didn't seem to me to have the fun of the other movies in the series that I've seen.

In fairness, my daughter's 8. She says she liked it. I can't disagree with that, so if the target audience is kids, then this is OK. It's just that the previous Ice Age movies seemed to have something for people of all ages to enjoy. This one was lacking that. (4/10)