Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Diego, Manny and Sid return in this sequel to the hit animated movie Ice Age. This time around, the deep freeze is over, and the ice-covered earth is starting to melt, which will destroy the trio's cherished valley. The impending disaster prompts them to reunite and warn all the other beasts about the desperate situation.
Ice Age: The Meltdown is a competent but formulaic sequel that recycles much of the first film's buddy-comedy road trip structure with a new environmental stakes backdrop. The plot is predictable and episodic, leaning heavily on slapstick set pieces rather than character depth. The voice cast performs adequately, with Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, and Denis Leary reprising their roles with charm but little new material to work with. Visually it represents a modest upgrade over the original but nothing groundbreaking for 2006 animation. The Scrat acorn subplot remains the highlight in terms of originality. The ending resolves neatly but without surprise or emotional resonance. A serviceable but unremarkable sequel that coasts on the goodwill of its predecessor.