Ice Age: The Meltdown

It's hard to live up to the huge expectations that came from the great first film. Ice Age 2 still has a bunch of likeable eccentric protagonists whose absurd hand-in-hand coexistence with a life-threatening situation works, but the jokes are largely tired and the only speed-up factor remains the gourmet squirrel with his "escaping" acorn. The short runtime is OK, the voice acting is brilliant, and the little possums quickly gain sympathy, but the gap from the first episode is simply too deep, and the mammoth Ellie is a real handful :) 65% (18/04/2011)

The first Ice Age was pretty much about nothing, but it was very entertaining (I gave it four stars). The second one, on the other hand, is completely about nothing and minimally entertaining (only the squirrel saves it). The animation is excellent (with the exception of the big wave) and the sound of cracking ice is great, but the screenplay – from the one-liners and jokes to the use of the characters’ potential for cuteness – ranks among below-average, straight-to-DVD animated B-movies. For a mega-project like Ice Age 2, that is bewildering. (29/03/2006)

The lack of a denser and more spirited plot could be excused by the fact that this is a film for children. But when a little boy of about six, who was sitting behind me in the movie theater, asked his mother questions like "Why are they going there?" and "What are they doing there?", it was clear to me that the second installment of Ice Age was nothing more than a safe bet. It’s a safe bet that throws in one gag after another, interspersed with more "action-oriented" scenes, mammoth (literally) prodding, and very (and I mean very!) poor and awkward attempts at a few little quotes from other films (M:I-II, Saving Private Ryan). Ice Age: The Meltdown is a terrible film that hasn't changed a single pixel, let alone the plot, so the adage that you can only make a single tea out of one tea bag is more than spot on here. (19/05/2006)

Yup, the ice age is the ice age... But this time it is so frozen that it is nothing more than condensed boredom. The entire “prehistoric road movie" has turned into a moralizing vehicle for kids, full of wannabe humorous escapades leaping from one iceberg or boulder to the next. And not even the characters are at all intriguing. Even Scrat has problems trying to save the day and he manages only thanks to the final scene in heaven. Perfect for young kids, but pure torture for adults. Let’s hope that this time too that the DVD has a better bonus movie in store for us. (13/08/2006)

It wasn't love at first sight, but maybe that's why The Meltdown is now my favorite episode. Sid impresses with every dumb word he says, I find myself humming the Vulture song suspiciously often, and Scrat is definitely the king of animated supporting characters. Since I've not gotten used to the much greater emphasis on family values during subsequent viewings, I can't help but smile while writing this review. (27/04/2006)

They screwed a slightly different, inoffensive story that is entertaining and makes you laugh. The wisecracks and dialogs are as amusing as last time, plus Scrat is put to much greater use and more interestingly and at the end he is unbeatable. A respectable little brother to part one which definitely is nothing to be ashamed of. (13/06/2006)

This movie was quite a disappointment. I was expecting at least a somewhat balanced sequel to the first movie, but unfortunately, I got a weaker sequel that failed mainly due to the screenplay, and a proper plot. So that – especially with a big project like the sequel to Ice Age – is a somewhat bigger problem. The one thing that is great about this movie is the mammoth-possum Ellie, whose "performance" (can you even call it that?) is destroyed by a pair of annoying possums. So, I am leniently awarding this movie three stars with a wink. (24/07/2008)

After the first Ice Age comes the less successful, but still quite funny second part. This time it's a massive flood that is very well done in terms of animation. In fact, the animation overall is of a high standard. The story is simple, but on the other hand it is complemented by great jokes. In my opinion, this is the weakest entry (so far) in the series, but I still had fun. Of course, I mustn't forget the amazing Scrat, without whom Ice Age wouldn't be what it is. If he were a flesh and blood character, the Oscar for Best Comedy Performance :-) (08/08/2009)

It's a pretty decent movie, but somehow I can't help feeling that while I enjoyed the first installment, this one didn't quite hit the mark as much. But I have to appreciate its originality, especially since it ties in quite well with what was in the first film plot-wise. Scrat is still funny and the main group has grown quite a bit. Moreover, a mammoth as a possum is just wonderfully absurd. (23/03/2015)