Ice Age: The Meltdown review

There are certain films where critical appraisal seems redundant. Ice Age: The Meltdown falls into that category. Having taken an unprecedented $70 million on its opening weekend at the American box office (a staggering $25 million more than the original), it seems that there is a universal appetite for the continuing adventures of Manny the mammoth, Diego the tiger and Sid the sloth.

If parents are asking themselves whether or not their kids will enjoy it over the school holidays, then the answer is probably yes: and the younger the children are, the higher their satisfaction level is likely to be. But if the adults are wondering whether they themselves will like it, then that is another matter. Anyone looking for the sophistication of Wallace and Gromit, Toy Story or The Incredibles - all films packed full of gags that will go straight over the heads of the young ones - is unfortunately likely to come out disappointed.

It's not that the film is unpleasant to look at. It's certainly well-executed, and on a very simple level will teach youngsters something about the ominous effects of global warming, as the peaceful lives of the familiar characters are threatened when the ice caps start to melt and they are forced to move en masse to find safer ground. But it is a journey that takes some time, and the laughter factor that accompanies it is less than consistent.

Queen Latifah joins the cast of regulars including Ray Romano and Dennis Leary as a mammoth who thinks she is a possum, and her relationship with Manny forms the crux of the film's romance. Obstacles are placed in their way on the journey, but these are inevitably overcome and never seem quite as threatening as they might be.

There is one very impressive factor in this sequel which is the welcome return of Scrat the squirrel, whose solo adventures represent something of a masterclass in animated comedy. There is a definite old school feel to his escapades, reminiscent of TV cartoons of the 60s, and they provide the film's highlight. Unfortunately, the brilliance of these scenes is not reflected in the main event, but those young enough not to really have developed any critical faculties will no doubt enjoy the whole thing.

Paul Hurley