Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaur

They survived the ice age. Then, they survived the meltdown. What’s left? The mildly cloudy and partly sunny? Do we care?

Ray Romano is back as the voice of Manny – the irascible Wooly Mammoth who is going all soft on us because his lady, Ellie (voice by Queen Latifah), is having their baby. Manny is 50 kinds of nervous, scared and excited at the same time as the big moment draws near, but not all is well in their strange, motley herd.

Diego (voice by Denis Leary) is starting to lose a step, and feels out of place as Manny, Ellie and everyone around him is pairing off and having kids. Meanwhile, Sid (John Leguizamo) has come across some strange eggs below a sheet of ice, and becomes attached in a very maternal way.

When those eggs turn out to be dinosaur eggs, and momma dinosaur comes looking for her babies, can Manny, Diego and the gang save Sid?

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is average without being spectacular, and average without being dreadful. Director Carlos Saldanha, co-director Mike Thurmeier and the four person writing team give us a movie that moves forward more like a video game where our heroes have to conquer each level to progress to the next, rather than telling us much about the characters or story.

It’s all kind of interesting, especially if you get to see it in 3-D, but I can’t remember much from any particular scene since none of it was amazing. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs doesn’t come close to the emotion, imagination or entertainment value of something like Up.

However, much like in the first two Ice Age movies, Scrat steals the show, but it isn’t all about his precious nut this time. Now, he has to battle a Femme Fatale, Scratte. The Ice Age animators put all of their most inspired efforts into this showdown, which keeps the audience laughing at every twist, turn and deception, even as the two engage in some classic romantic tension that would make Ross and Rachel jealous. Luckily, we get them in just the right dose as an entire movie would be too much, but these small interludes pick up your spirits, while the rest of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is just blasé.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is rated PG for some mild rude humor and peril.