Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Loads better than I thought it would be, 23 Jul 2009
I loved the first Ice Age film- it was so clever and witty ...and really funny! However, after its dull and unimpressive sequel 'The Meltdown', I was a bit apprehensive about seeing Dawn of the Dinosaurs.
I'm happy to say though, that Dawn of the Dinosaurs is actually really good. It joyfully revisits the chaos and momentum of the original- the amazing Scrat is back- now accompanied by a female, also with a grrreat new character (voiced by Simon Pegg), what's not to like?
Anna detailed the few plot strings that carry the film, so I won't bother. But basically we once again join the 'herd' of mismatched mammals as they stumble across an underground dinosaur world, in order to save Sid and his new 'babies'.
Obviously it's targeted at younger kids, so lots of the jokes undoubtedly fall flat on their faces with slightly older viewers. Some are decidedly 'cheap' too, unfortunately- which is what brought the film down for me. Still, the gag rate is incredibly high. Some hit, some miss, and when the good laughs do come, they're really funny.
As ever with Ice Age, the animation is rather low-fi (not to the horrid extents of Hoodwinked, don't worry), but it's uniquely beautiful. This time around, the animators have really upped their game: We're treated to lots of gorgeous, colour-saturated landscapes and magical set-pieces. What I liked about Dawn of the Dinosaurs was that we literally take a trip into a whole new world. I wish I could have seen it in 3D!
The voice cast are all excellent too, even though certain characters, such as the genius of Sean William Scott, are foolishly pushed aside. One of the film's main attractions is Simon Pegg, voicing the new character Buck -and yea, he admittedly adds sparkle.
Overall, if you're feeling reluctant to go and see the third in the trilogy due to the dire sequel, there's nothing to worry about. I'm glad to say that Dawn of the Dinosaurs is in the same league as the original. With enough one-liners, visual gags and general funny moments, it's impossible not to be entertained! Go see it! You'll love it as much as your kids will!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An indispensible Kids Film Buy - to be enjoyed Again and Again, 6 Nov 2009
Careful - some reviews will tell you the entire plot of this film and ruin it for you - I won't
Before I buy a DVD for my kids, I always ask myself 2 questions:
Did the kids enjoy it in the cinema?
Will they want to watch it again and again?
It's a resounding yes on both counts here
This was a top afternoon's entertainment and the kids (6 and 8) absolutely loved it, were never bored and talked about it for hours afterwards.
What more do you want?
We thought this was the best Ice Age yet; a lot more adventurous, exciting and fast-paced than the others.
The 'Lost World' premise and a couple of excellent new characters really brought the movie to life and opened up new possibilities.
Inevitably, this will be compared to Pixar movies and I think it stands up to that comparison very well - VERY HIGH praise indeed.
Buy this and know your kids will get pleasure from it over and over again and you will too!
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16 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not as good, but still lubly, 17 Jul 2009
Ice Age 3 continues where 2 left off: Ellie and Manny (the last of their kind, voiced by Queen Latifah and Ray Romano) are expecting their first bubsy, and the cosiness of it all has an unfit Diego (Denis Leary) itching to go out into the wild on his lonesome so he can rediscover his tiger-roar.
Sid, meanwhile, has baby-envy and his biological clock is a-ringing, so on an angry jaunt away from the herd, he stumbles across 3 eggs and, thinking they've been abandoned, decides to adopt them. When they crack open, out come 3 T-rex babies... and the fun ensues.
Circumstances split the group and lead some of them to an old, hidden, massive jungle, populated by dinosaurs thought to be extinct - many of whom are moody, and hungry. They encounter a one-eyed weasel-fighter called Buck (voiced by Simon Pegg - struggling to name a recent film he hasn't been in...) who has an ongoing war with an iconceivably huge dinosaur. Great fun.
There are still lovely sojourns with Scrat trying to catch his beloved acorn, and this time, there's a female on the scene, so he has a tricky decision to make. Scrat is definitely the unsung hero of Ice Age, but the entire film is terrific. It is laced with the same humour as the first 2 and, as ever, the graphics are phenomenal. I'm not sure it's quite as good as its predecessors, though - it's bigger in scope, and a lot more chaotic, and it's missing the dynamic of the 3-chap herd that was so central to the first outings. But it still has a huge amount going for it.
My cinema wasn't showing it in 3D, so I can't review that aspect, but the jungle scenes and soaring pterodactyl shots would look incredible, so if you get the chance, that'd be the way to go. A great film all round and, as with the first 2, accessible for all ages.
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