THE COOLEST EVENT IN 16,000 YEARS.

We’re in the middle of the last ice age; a mammoth, a sloth and a saber-toothed tiger with a hidden agenda try to bring a human baby back to its “herd”.

This is Fox seriously challenging DreamWorks and Pixar at a time when computer-animated movies were still fresh, an adventure reminiscent of older Disney flicks that would have charming, anthropomorphic characters, a lot of comedy and a well-paced story. The CGI looks a bit primitive at times, but the jokes are funny and ideas clever; we have three protagonists who are a lot of fun together.

Scrat, a frisky little squirrel on the hunt for an acorn, is a highlight whenever he shows up. 

2002-U.S. Animated. 81 min. Color. Directed by Chris Wedge. Screenplay: Michael Berg, Michael J. Wilson, Peter Ackerman. Voices of Ray Romano (Manfred), John Leguizamo (Sid), Denis Leary (Diego), Goran Visnjic, Jack Black, Tara Strong, Cedric the Entertainer, Stephen Root. 

Trivia: James Earl Jones, Ving Rhames and Albert Brooks were considered for the voice of Manfred. Followed by four sequels, starting with Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), and a spin-off film, Ice Age: Adventures of Buck Wild (2022). 

Last word: “It was just physically difficult. You’re in front of the microphone and you can’t move around or emote. For instance, there’s a scene where I grab Diego and throw him against the wall and you’re in his face. Every time we would do it, I’d have to (physically) do that and I couldn’t move too far from the mic so you get that taken away. […] I was never with another actor so there’s no give and take there and no feedback. Plus they made me take my pants off.” (Romano, FilmMonthly.com)