Ice Age (2002)

In the 2000s a some of the CGI movies try's to be like Shrek and misunderstanding what makes this movie so great but there are exceptions with original stories like Ice age being one of them and being the first computer animated Blue Sky movie. Without a further-a-do lets get into it:

Animation: The animation holds decently well; there are some weird movements like the rhinos when there are running as example but the lacking of animation fits well with the movies aesthetic. I mean this is movie about pre-historic animals in the past. I love the ice cave scene with so much reflections and the 2d animation on the cave drawings are a nice edition. I also love the backgrounds being very empty and

Concept: This movie is about pre-historic animals, this is surprising because no other movie EVER used that concept and no one used it after Ice age which is surprising.

Plot + Characters: The movie opening up with Scrat at first; you can argue that scrat is a pointless character and doesn't add anything to the plot and you be right but this is my defence on Scrat. The reason why Scrat was made is because Chris Wedge to give the movie a present and created a sabre-toothed squirrel so Scrat was born which accidently predicted an undiscovered species is a shrew with long fangs and was named Cronopio Dentiacutus in 2009.

Back to the argument: While Scrat is more interesting as a stand alone cartoon (even though he got it so many of it) but think his inclusion is neat and the scene where he gets chased by huge moving ice looks cool. Why he works is 1 we know who is scrat is , 2 it doesn't do it too cartoony and over the top and 3 his mis-fortune is funny is because no matter where he store his nut he always get a dunked in his head. I like how you think Scrat is going to be an important character but got crashed by an animal and the title drop in its cleaver. He is revenant after but not often and his inter actions with Sid is pretty funny.

The score of the movie is underrated: I love the score of the movie because how it portrays it with personality ; like the migration score (my favourite one) is because you get the idea this is a herd travelling and its very noisy.

The dialogue is very good: This one "How do we know it's an Ice Age?" "because of all THE ICE!" or "They left without me. They do this every year. Why? Doesn't anyone love me? Isn't there anyone who cares about Sid the Sloth?" The lines are very funny and surprisingly very memorable and has depth to it, it also doesn't has boring filled hero's journey dialogue.

We are introduced to Manfred (his real name) or Manny for short. Manny is heading the wrong way and please remember him because I want to talk about Sid first. Sid try's to find his family but we doo joke so not so great star- oh what it cares it until the Rhinos get tick off by eating his dandelion. Now you can argue that Sid is unlikable because he is an idiot , well that's is true but the point is that Sid IS suppose to be an idiot and he didn't do any thing that is unlikable.

Please remember that why Manny is on the cliff because there is someone important to Manny's character later.

You can argue that Manny and Sid is coping to Shrek and Donkey. Well it is similar but I think is distinctive enough to not call it a Shrek rip-off because like I said its important and I'll talk about Manny later.

I like the scene where we are introduced to the people with the baby with peaceful and light hearted score but then we are introduced to Diego and the Soto who are sneaking and planning to get his revenge to kill the baby alive after the people killed half of the pack using their skins to keep warm with eerie music.

We are back to Manny and Sid. Sid said "So what about you? You have a family?" Manny turns back. I like that we maybe know Manny has a family without giving too much away.

The pack attack: I like how they used the humans without saying any thing and when the lady fall is weird like she could have died with the baby and it is kind of predictable . The humans keep on chasing them and abandoned their camp. I had no idea what they are going for.

Back to Sid and Manny. Sid thinks that Manny should mate but then find the mother but the mother gives the baby to Manny and washed away. So first there is no way she survived with the baby and she should have gone on to land but no she drowns, I guess? Its so weird how they write that but

So the baby: I do not understand why people in the internet hates him and he does absolutely nothing wrong in fact he is more of a plot device then anything. Manny at this point gets fed up with Sid and asked him to give the baby to the humans. We know Manny just wants to alone and wants to get the job done. You can argue that Sid being an idiot again by climbing up the mountain but it shows that Sid isn't great when comes to parenting the baby. We finally introduce to Diego he try's to lie but Sid and Manny just discovered that the humans had already left. Manny trust Diego to the route to find the humans. I like Manny doesn't trust Diego to care the baby.

We get to see another doo joke again. But that's the only bad jokes thankfully

I like Sid and Diego

The Dodos: I like how they are very stupid which is very true and they constantly keep on dying with the melon which is so funny. I like Sid surrounded by Dodos finally and looks at the baby be brave for once and we see the slow down montage. I like the scene because it shows Sid an idiot can be a hero but destroying the melon. "Prepared the Ice Age" they say it that's the title!

Diego find the other and tell them to be prepared to kill the baby and Manny. I did not realised that crazy one who apparently wants food is voiced by Jack Black yes the big fat panda but any ways; I like that Diego manipulates and take control of Manny and just see it as just prey.

Sid uuuhh, in a bath tube with the baby with girls (apparently Sid is creep I guess) and get chased by Rhinos honestly its the only scene I found it quite pointless and subtlety mention Family Guy ah they say but not this one. When Manny talks to the baby and say that he is stuck with this pointless adventure. I realised that how much the baby actually likes Manny in a subtle way. I mean Manny is the one who touch the baby, he sleeps with him and make the baby happy by hitting Sid. You can clearly tell the baby is like to be around with Manny then Sid.

The montage I like the train gag where the canon puts up a red fire and then a green fire and you can tell the directors is having fun with this and having their creative freedom. I like the baby isn't stupid he points to Sid and got the better of him.

Diego sees the humans but he manipulate Manny and Sid to go to the cave. I like the montage of all of the frozen things which feels like a museum and foreshadow all of the Ice Age movies strangely. The slide is also a pointless scene but I can excuse saying that this is a fun scene with good lines. I like Diego became excited and showing Diego's happy side instead of being the Winter Solider all the time.

The most important scene: The cave scene when we finally learned why is Manny so grumpy. It turns out Manny had a family and was killed by hunters. Completed with 2D animation and beautiful music without saying a single word. This made sense why he is alone on the cliff. He sees the baby and looks at it has like him.

The ice melting scene: This scene might sound pointless but I like Manny at this point cares for Diego and he says earlier that he doesn't like killing animals for pleasure. Diego finally once said thank you to Manny.

That the scene where Diego grew attach to Sid and Manny. The baby is about to hug Sid but hugs Diego the first time Diego finally got some love and friends.

My defence on the liar revealed trope: While Diego lies to Sid and Manny maybe trope but this my defence its a good scene because Diego realised that he can let Manny and the baby be eaten so he has a change of heart and tells them how to beat them. So Sid hid the baby and Manny attacked. Sid Diego tricks his on boss and sacrifice himself and the Soto killed off screen by the icicles.

My defence on death revived trope: I like how they didn't play it as a joke and he shows up later before the baby leaves. Original Diego original was supposed to die but Chris Wedge didn't like so he keeps it and honestly it might hard to enjoy the other movies without Diego but I think it could impact the story a lot more so I had mix-feelings on that. .

The ending scene: We are finally see the father reunite with his son and it has so much heart into it since on his necklace the mini version of his son and he misses him but Manny and Sid says good bye to the baby. So we see the trio head off and Sid said "You know. this whole Ice Age thing's is getting old. You know what I could go for? Global warming." Which sets up the sequel.

Theme: The theme of the entire Ice Age movies is found family like this is the start of the trio and we get to see more herd member's later on the Ice Age movies. Honestly I like the theme here and its not that far.

Final thoughts: This movie is not a bad start and has a good impression to the studio. I had an enjoyable time with this. It has good written subtle story , well written and fun characters , amazing score , good comedy and Scrat. So that's all I got to say!