Oh and we have to talk about the score. It’s luminous; it’s always just perfect for the ongoing scene and at times borders on magical, mystical; that’s just how well executed it is. It’s all orchestral music but they added tribal flutes and some Polynesian-sounding music, some really ethereal guitar and string arrangements. It brings the rhythm and the beat needed for such a movie. And the small sloth group chant is so catchy that your kids will beg you to play it over and over again once the DVD comes out.
The movie, of course, delivers some needed messages on cooperation, tolerance, love, and some eerily strange connotations to the NOLA disaster, the Tsunami, and people getting together in one united push for survival of environmental catastrophes, man-made or otherwise.
And who could ignore the myriad amount of homages to other great movies. Too many to mention — but I will anyway — and movie buffs and fan boys will relish all the reverence to the greats. Then there’s also the “camera shots” that defer to great big-budget movies like Jurassic Park and a bunch of disaster movies. When the ice damn breaks, it reminded me of the damn busting in one of the Superman movies (just can’t remember which one exactly, but I think it’s the first one). The water flow had the exact same look and feel as in the miniature shot from the Superman franchise. It was just great. And Scrat getting chased down by a new-born vulture was shot exactly like the hummer being stalked by the T. rex in Jurassic Park.
Ice Age: The Meltdown is a movie geek’s Valhalla, so it’s with no hesitance that I give it 5 ice cubes outta 5.
Article comments
1 - Donna A.
A great review. I have the first movie. I am looking forward in seeing this one.
Donna A.
2 - JELIELÂł
Thanks. Do go, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
3 - reggie von woic
"...back with a bigger, better...sequel to the smash hit.."
How rare is that!
I so LOVED the first one!! Consider The Meltdown an entry on my diary.
4 - Cass
As long as I live, I will never forget the vultures' musical number! It was a great film. I agree, the water effect was fascinating. I also liked the way that you could see every individual hair on Diego and Manny.
5 - JELIELÂł
#3
reggie von woic
Trust me, didnt get bored for a second and I was dead tired when I saw it (which renders me more critical)
6 - JELIELÂł
#4
Cass
Oh yes, The vulture musical bit was a great homage and wonderfully executed.
"Now you know what they're thinking" =)