The Film
If you're looking for a movie that shares a wonderful message between you and the kiddos, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs probably isn't it.
That's not to say it's not a fun movie, especially for fans of the first two animated films. We've been spoiled with quality (in animation and storyline) with recent films, such as UP and Coraline. In comparison, Fox's furry creatures seem, well... slightly prehistoric.
In the third installment, wooly mammoths Manny (Ray Romano) and Ellie (Queen Latifah) are expecting a little one, forcing Diego the tiger (Denis Leary) and Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo) to take a long, hard look at life. Sid decides to become a daddy, by stealing a trio of dinosaur eggs.
Fox really has a nice showpiece with Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. The 1.85:1 transfer is nothing short of stunning. The colors are beautiful, from nature to erupting lava to the film's many creatures. Speaking of which, the detail on those furry little buggers is nice. You can almost count the hairs on every mammal and the dinosaurs are pretty eye-popping as well.
The Sound
We were expecting big things from the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track. However, it's sort of a letdown. For a film that has such a stellar image, why not have a soundtrack to match? With so many critters galloping through the wild, we'd expect a more immersive experience. Instead, a lot of the sound sticks close to the front speakers. The dialogue is good and a few of those dinosaurs come packing a ton of bass. Also, the rear surrounds perked up during a few key action sequences, but were mainly filled with music. Like the film itself, the track has more than a few fun parts. Overall though, it seems like a wasted opportunity of 7.1 sound.
The Extras
Fox didn't include the 3D version of the film, but they did throw in the standard-def DVD, a digital copy, and plenty of other special features for the whole family. Kids will love the many Scrat shorts, as well as deleted scenes and a music video. We also found the "Ice Age Storybook Maker" to be a neat extra, allowing kids to build their own on-screen stories. Also, the 18-minute feature "Evolution Expedition" was surprisingly interesting, with a close look at the real-life counterparts of each of the Ice Age characters.
Final Thoughts
If you've already started your Ice Age collection, this one is a no-brainer. It will probably be a must-see for the kiddies, but you won't mind it so much, either. Despite being the third film in the series, it's darn pretty, and pretty entertaining to boot.
Product Details
Where to Buy:
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