I went into \Ice Age"" expecting to hate it. After all, others said it wasn't as smart as ""Shrek,"" my least favorite animated film of all time. But, about a half-hour into the movie, I realized that critics are a sullen crowd, happier with cynicism than sincerity. Where ""Shrek"" had been low blows and knowing in jokes, ""Ice Age"" is earnest and honest. While it is not stunning or grand, ""Ice Age"" does well to reach its modest goals.
Fox's first venture into the computer animated feature film race, ""Ice Age"" follows three prehistoric creatures trying to return a lost human baby to its tribe. Ray Romano is Manfred, a solitary mammoth pestered by an irritating sloth, Sid, voiced by John Leguizamo. They happen upon a baby separated from its mother and must hurry to return it before the snow comes. Denis Leary, as Diego, a sabertooth with ulterior motives, offers to serve as their tracker.
""Ice Age"" isn't overwhelmingly funny or visually splendid, but here that's a good thing. It knows its limitations, something all animation would do well to remember. Leguizamo tries to add fun to the rather somber main story line, but most of the comic relief comes from a running gag about a nervous squirrel hiding its acorn. That the main plot is straightforward is refreshing in the current era of children's movies.
Emphasis on irony and cultural references have become tiring and have given studios like Disney and Dreamworks license to steal blatantly. (When I say Disney, of course, I never mean Pixar.) Aside from a pack of sabertooths obviously taken from the hyenas in ""The Lion King,"" director Chris Wedge creates a fully realized and distinct world for ""Ice Age."" He did well in choosing Romano, someone skilled at playing the eternally frustrated father figure.
Part of its distinct world is a very cohesive animation style. Sure, it's obvious that Fox is a latecomer to the technology'hair remains short and relatively static, splashing water looks like scattered marbles. But the animators recognize their limitations and work with them. The character designs are simple and cartoony, almost like muppets. Even the humans are impressive as stylized, yet noble, Cro-Magnons. And, the color palette of the entire film is breathtaking. Essentially, it's the autumn before the Ice Age, with browns and tans against the light blue and white of new snow. ""Ice Age"" is a gorgeous film to look at.
Usually I'm appalled by the blockbusters. I'd rather people go out searching for the films that barely last a week in Madison. Here, though, I was satisfied. ""Ice Age"" is a good family movie for those who like that sort of thing. It's no ""Monsters Inc.,"" but then again, what is?
If you see ""Ice Age"" and enjoy it, I'd recommend something like ""Babe: Pig in the City"" or ""The Iron Giant."" ""A Bug's Life"" and ""Chicken Run"" are good rentals, too, but ""Ice Age"" has a certain serenity they aren't going for. It's certainly as beautiful as ""Fantasia 2000"" or ""My Neighbor Totoro."" What'you haven't heard of ""My Neighbor Totoro""? It's by Hayao Miyazaki, the director behind ""Princess Mononoke."" Go rent it. And rent ""Kiki's Delivery Service."" Good stuff all around.
