Voices
of: Ray Romano Queen Latifah Keke Palmer Adam Devine John Leguizamo
Denis
Leary Simon Pegg Jennifer Lopez Wanda Sykes Neil DeGrasse Tyson
This is the seventh in a series of Ice Age films, and is largely empty
animation and special effects without much of a story. My interest was piqued when I saw that
Neil DeGrasse Tyson was going to be one of the voices in the film, in hopes
that it would have some educational value; but alas, it is a hodge-podge of story
lines with tired themes like broken hearts, forgetting an anniversary, and a
father reluctant to let his daughter grow up and forge her own path. There was only one scene that went
against stereotype, and that was the father-daughter
(it’s usually a son) competition on an ice hockey rink. Manny (Romano) is certain he can best
his daughter Peaches (Palmer) handily—and tries to make out like he actually
did, but she is the clear winner.
A bit of novelty is seen in the efforts to
avert a killer meteor coming to destroy the animals’ home, and Tyson as Neil
deBuck Weasel (I like the play on his name) explains in scientific terms how to
use magnetic forces to throw it off course. It’s too bad the filmmakers didn’t expand this sequence and
make it the heart of the movie instead of silly love stories.
As in all the Ice Age films I have seen, the
squirrel creature Scrat (Chris Wedge) appears in the beginning and reappears
periodically hugging and chasing his acorn, swarming all around space to introduce
and supplement the animation and special effects. Next we hear about the mammoth family [Manny, Ellie (Queen
Latifah), and Peaches] and get the update that Peaches is engaged to Julian
(Devine), who is eager to join the family and impress the reluctant Manny. They’re friends with lions Diego
(Leary) and Shira (Lopez), who are wanting to be parents.
There is a digression to a yoga fitness
community, Geotopia, where Shangri Lama (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) is in charge and
where Granny (Sykes) is discovered to be enjoying yoga and massages.
But Sid (Leguizamo) as the local scientist is
giving fair warning that a meteor that will obliterate them is coming. After Neil deBuck Weasel instructs them
about what they need to do, the animals band together to avert the strike.
Not much of anything is new and fresh in this
production, which should be a message to the writers (Michael J. Wilson,
Michael Berg, Yoni Brenner), directors Galen T. Chu and Mike Thurmeier, and
producer Lori Forte to hang up the franchise.
Uninspired 7th iteration of
the Ice Age franchise.
Well, if Andy Yeatman would have helped them, it would have been a hit. I watch his shows on Netflix and the content is mindblowing. It teaches a lot to the kids and is very entertaining. I got to know about it from a friend and I am glad she told me about it.
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