Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs:

Mammoth of a movie

Film review

The latest blockbuster to hit Sri Lanka is Ice age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs which is still a massive hit around the world earning millions of Dollars every week. Released in America on July 1st, it was at the Number one Box Office spot in U.S tied with Transformers; Revenge of the Fallen.

On July 4 the 3D version of the movie opened and is the biggest 3D opening to date in the U.K. This movie is a sequel to the original and hilarious Academy Award Nominated and Critics Choice award winning hit Ice Age and then the equally successful Ice Age 2: The Meltdown.

Set in pre-historic times, after the events of ‘Ice Age: The Meltdown’, life begins to change for Manny, the Mammoth and his friends, Diego, the Sabre-toothed Tiger and Sid the silly Sloth. Scrat, the pre-historic squirrel is still on the hunt to hold onto his beloved acorn, while finding a possible romance in a female sabre-toothed squirrel named Scratte, who sometimes behaves ruthless in order to get her hand on to the same.

Manny and Ellie, having since become an item, are expecting a baby, which leaves Manny an anxious father-to be, trying to ensure that everything is perfect for when his baby arrives.

This obsessive behaviour makes his friends feel left out, and Diego is fed up with being treated like a house-cat and tries to find adventure on his own. Sid begins to wish for a family of his own, and so steals some eggs not knowing they were Dinosaur eggs.

Overnight he turns in to a single mum and has his hands full with three naughty children. Manny becomes furious with his children’s disruptive behaviour and when the mother Dinosaur comes back and takes Sid along with her children, Manny realizes that he has been too harsh on Sid. So starts the underground search for Sid by Manny and Ellie, where Diego soon joins in.

The movie introduces a new character, a brave one-eyed weasel named ‘Buck’ who hunts a ruthless Dinosaur named ‘Rudy’. Famous British Actor Simon Pegg voices ‘Buck’ with a ‘Captain Jack Sparrow’ from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ like humour.

The underground venture soon turns deadly and the three friends and their new heroic guide must fight against time to save Sid from many grave dangers. The movie is hilarious from the beginning till the end, making you fall more in love with the famous trio. Buck shows exaggerated bravery with his distinguished British accent and a crazy-lonely side after being alone for so long in the underground world. Diego is brave and proud as usual, always being loyal to his friends.

Manny, the practical and intelligent Mammoth is now too excited about the fact that he is soon going to be a father but saving his friend from death becomes his priority.

Ellie is still very caring, compassionate and maternal while Sid from the beginning till the end shows a remarkable bravery for the sake of his ‘adopted’ Dinosaur children.

Manny’s character is voiced by famous Emmy winning comedian Ray Romano who became a household name after the massive success of his comedy series Everybody Loves Raymond, and Ellie by Queen Latifah and Diego by Emmy and Golden Globe nominated Irish actor Denis Leary, and the lovable Sid by Emmy winning John Leguizamo.

Ellie’s two possum brothers are voiced by Josh Peck and Sean William Scott from American Pie.

The movie opened in Sri Lanka at Liberty Cinema on July 9 and the manager Sigera says on the weekend of July 11-12 they had the highest grossing ever, and believes the highest in any theatre in the country.

This is a must see family movie that can be enjoyed by both young and old. From the very first Ice Age, the franchise brings the message of adventure, bravery and the true value of friendship.

- Chamari Senanayake