Communicating friendship through the ‘Ages’

(From the Aug. 1-15 issue of The Fortnightly)

By Oliver M. Pulumbarit

Few animated movies have become as successful as Ice Age, popular for its band of misfit but likeable prehistoric animal characters. Its current installment, “Ice Age 4: Continental Drift,” emphasizes the tight-knit and distinct rapport again in a faster-paced adventure that pits them against new beastly dangers.

As its title suggests, the Earth’s land mass has finally divided into continents, the unprecedented upheaval accidentally set into motion by the relentless rodent Scrat. While pursuing his prized acorn, Scrat also discovers a map that points to a secret utopia.

The brotherly beasties, meanwhile, are immediately affected by the massive land division. Diego the sabretooth tiger (voiced by Denis Leary), Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo) and Manny the mammoth (Ray Romano) are separated from their herd and swept to sea, leaving behind Manny’s wife Ellie (Queen Latifah) and child Peaches (Keke Palmer).

Joining them in their unexpected sojourn is Sid’s seemingly senile Granny (Wanda Sykes), who was intentionally abandoned by their family. They drift into the ocean, and are eventually spotted and captured by pirates on a massive “ship” (actually an iceberg fragment). Led by the primate Gutt (Peter Dinklage), the buccaneers are an assortment of seafaring beasts that may just have the means to get the quartet back to safe land.

“Ice Age 4” is more focused than the previous adventure, which was even described by Sid as something that “didn’t make sense,” but was nevertheless “fun.” The “Ice Age” movies don’t follow the chronology of prehistoric ages, that was pretty clear early on, but it’s easy to ignore the overlapping eras.

The “Ice Age” movies primarily focus on the dynamics between, and quirks of the core characters, and they’ve developed nicely through the years.

Manny is now more mature, for instance, and his relationship with his teen daughter starts becoming problematic because of her desire to be noticed by her mammoth crush.

Interestingly, “Continental Drift” has an odd but catchy music number that introduces the various pirate characters. These new characters add substantially to the visual equation; the new menagerie is eclectic and appealingly designed. Gutt is appropriately gruff and menacing, while the tigress Shira (Jennifer Lopez) looks majestic but similarly dangerous.

There are creepy, siren-like sea creatures that pose threats to the gang as well. It’s not clear what they are, exactly, but they figure in some of the movie’s funniest moments.

Adding to the hilarity are rodent tribe members that don’t speak most of the animals’ language. But Sid easily communicates with them, a la C-3PO with the Ewoks, but in his own inimitably silly way.

“Ice Age 4” effortlessly re-establishes its enduring, family-friendly appeal. And Scrat’s running gag still amuses; he’s still going through unimaginable lengths just to get his beloved acorn, and even embarks on a related mission that will undoubtedly lead to more earth-shaking scenarios!