On July 22, 20th Century Fox released the latest movie in the Ice Age franchise, Ice Age: Collision Course, in theaters. While the film has some decidedly funny moments, it doesn’t feel as well put together as the previous installments.
Scrat, everyone’s favorite squirrel, accidentally activates an alien spacecraft while trying to bury his acorn. While in space, he unwittingly sends several asteroids hurling towards Earth. Down below, our mismatched herd barely escape from the smallest of the bunch. They then set out with Buck the weasel on a quest to stop the ultimate meteor from destroying life on the planet. Little do they know, they’re being hunted by dino-birds who are upset with Buck for stealing their dinner. Will they be able to complete their mission and save the mammals from extinction?
This movie had a lot of laugh out loud moments, but they were more from quick one-liners than an extended sequence of events. The plot itself fell a little flat. The dino-birds felt completely unnecessary until they were needed at the end, leaving it to feel a little too convenient. The obstacles on the characters’ quest seemed a lot less involved than prior films. They seemed to just be dropped in to see what would happen with no real rhyme or reason. Scrat was probably the most entertaining part of the movie, but the space theme was far-fetched, even for him.
It’s hard to believe this was a big budget film. It really felt like it could’ve been a straight to video selection. While not awful, it wasn’t great either. The laughs are there, they just aren’t as big and neither is the plot. I half hope they decide to end the franchise before they destroy it completely with mediocrity. I didn’t hate it, but I would say there are much better options on the market for your family.
See the trailer here: