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“The Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” is an Ice-breaker!

Published on: 2nd July, 2009

Perry at Ice Age 3 Press Screening June 30, 2009

(Published July 2, 2009 on Del Mar Village Voice, Carmel Valley News, and Rancho Santa Fe Record)

by Perry S. Chen

Rating: PG

( Four out of five starfish)

June 30, 2009

Have you ever seen two squirrels fight over a nut romantically? They first tangle, then tango! Those would be Scrat and his female nemesis Scratte (rhymes with sauté), the “flavor” of the story. If you think they are funny, wait till you see the eclectic group consisting of Manny and Ellie, a couple of expecting mammoths; Diego, an indifferent saber-toothed tiger, and Sid, a simple-minded ground sloth, who always feels left out.

Manny is nervous and excited that Ellie is pregnant while his mate Ellie is cool and collected. Seeing his friends about to have their first baby, Sid decides to raise a family of his own when he saw three giant eggs waiting to be hatched when he “fell through the cracks” into another world. Little did he know the eggs belong to a colossal T-rex, and that is when the problems start…

Suddenly, the entire gang find themselves in a world of dinosaurs, under the thick ice, where they met a one-eyed daredevil weasel named “Buck,” who guided them through their treacherous mission to save Sid…

I noticed that Manny developed “nesting instinct” as an expecting FATHER, a role reversal compared to the human species. I like Manny and Ellie for their love to their newborn, and their loyalty to their friend Sid. I admire Diego because he is also a loyal friend and protected Ellie from the raptors. Though Sid got his friends into a heap of trouble, he is altruistic and is willing to take care of the lost eggs, even though it is a bad idea.

This movie is about courage, determination, friendship, and loyalty. My favorite character is Buck, super-cool, free-spirited, and adventurous. The funniest and also my favorite scene is when Diego teased the raptors in revenge of his first hunting failure.

The Ice Age’s wintry scenes give a stark contrast to the lush forests of the world of dinosaurs. I like Scrat’s voice better than Scratte’s. Scrat is more immature and I loved his screams, while Scratte is smarter and ladylike. She is more “refined” and doesn’t scream.

I gave the movie four starfish because of its scientific weakness. Plants cannot grow without sunlight underground. Light is impossible to get through the thick ice, so it should be pitch black in the world of dinosaurs. And what happened to the meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs?

In spite of the scientific deficiency, I LOVE the movie! It is epic and has many hilarious parts, including one when everyone in the group had its voice changed to a squeaky tone in the “Chasm of Death” after inhaling helium. Some of the movie’s highlights are in its adventurous scenes and funny Scrat-Scratte episodes while throwing out a bit of humor for the older kids and the adults. It is “Perrific!” (my coined word for Perry and Terrific together)

I think “Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” is the best yet of the three “Ice Age” installments. It is more epic, overflowing with humor, and you get to meet such fascinating new character like Buck, the “Indiana Jones” of the animal world!

A true and loyal friend is always ready to sacrifice his life for you.