Blue Sky Studios was not a perfect studio, In fact, they’ve had more downs than ups when you compare them to the track records of Pixar and even Dreamworks in some cases. The one thing I’ve always admired about the Massachusetts-based studio though is that they’ve always kept trying, maybe trying too hard, but still trying. Although the company will be missed seeing as Disney shut them down prematurely, it is interesting to go back to their movies to see if they at all hold up. The original Ice Age was the first movie the company produced and it was a big success for the company as it spawned countless sequels that were met with less than positive reception. I remember enjoying the first Ice Age as a kid, but can the nostalgia goggles be enough to see this movie as a good animated classic?
As the Ice Age begins, many different prehistoric animals are going their own ways to find new land and safety. However, that is not the case for three different animals such as Sid the Sloth (John Leguizamo), Manny the Mammoth (Ray Ramano), and Diego the sabertooth tiger (Denis Leary) (Who has his own secret agendas) as they are reluctantly tasked to bring a young infant baby back to his tribe before they accidentally leave him behind. There are many dangers in the wake of getting there and the trio must learn to cooperate if they are ever gonna survive the wilderness and each other.
The story of this movie borrows from many other popular animated movies at the time to create its own story. The plot of Manny accepting becoming a father figure was already done better with Sully in Monsters Inc, and the wacky adventures of the main character and a wacky annoying sidekick were arguably done better in Shrek. Despite the unoriginality of the plot, it’s the way it's executed that makes the film enjoyable and mostly fun. I always believe that just because something has been done before doesn’t mean you can’t do it again. While it's true I wish the creators could have done something more original, I do give them kudos they tried to keep the journey interesting and enjoyable. The journey comes with a lot of funny jokes and some heartfelt sentiment that may not be up there with the likes of Pixar but is still decent enough for what it is trying to do. The jokes in the movie seem very hit or miss but there are more good jokes than there are bad. The third act of the movie though is when the movie is at its most poignant as it delivers some of the best moments both character-based and story-based. There are even better stories you could take part in, but there are plenty of things to still enjoy in this flawed but well-executed first film from Blue Sky Studios.
The characters are indeed memorable but are they any good now than they were back then? The answer to that question is yes…for the most part. I do give credit that the main trio of characters are perfectly cast and don’t feel like the creators wanted the actors for the star power and nothing else. Sid Manny and Diego all are interesting characters and their bond as an unconventional heard does pay off near the end. I do admit that Sid’s humor can get annoying as he is very loud and obnoxious, but he’s not so annoying that it makes me want to rip my hair out and scream. Manny’s decent character arc of becoming a father figure to the baby is charming from time to time and it even leads to some heartfelt moments. The main star of the show though is Scrat who has basically become the Mascot of Blue Sky Studios. His goal of keeping his acorn safe while ending up in dangerous situations is something straight out of a Tex Avery cartoon and his plot threads are possibly the funniest in the entire movie. These characters are so much fun and help to elevate the unoriginal plot into something that is decently entertaining.
The animation has unfortunately aged very poorly when you compare it to the animation from Monsters Inc which came out a year earlier and has held up so much better than this movie. Still, I give credit to Blue Sky that they still tried everything in their control to make something as visually appealing as they possibly could despite not having the latest technology. the animation on the characters is very well done and the backgrounds are so massive and stylistic that most of the time it disguised the cheap animation. I like the prehistoric setting and the way they get creative with the animals. some of them aren't even real animals but they are so stylized that they feel like they fit in this world. The film also shows a weird clash of being realistic and being over the top cartoony without committing to one way or the other. It's odd, but not terrible as it can lead to some creative sight gags and character expressions. There is even a well-made 2D animated segment that I can’t give away but once you see it, you’ll understand why it's as beautiful as it is. It may be a little too cartoony in some cases, but the animation nevertheless is a decent attempt at trying to play with the big boys in the animation business.
David Newman is the composer for this movie and is also related to Thomas Newman and Randy Newman of Pixar fame. His score is a bit over the top but also joyful and lively. That is unless the movie calls for softer moments and they work just as well. The song featured for the movie called Send Me on My Way by Rusted Root is also a good addition to the soundtrack and it fits within Ice Age’s prehistoric setting surprisingly. Without a doubt, the music is having as much fun as the creators are and it does show.
Is Ice Age the best movie from Blue Sky Studios? that is still debatable. What I do know is that this is the movie that did put the little animation studio on the map for many other unique and interesting animated movies to come. Looking back at the movie and the legacy it has left behind, I will say that while I don’t quite see it as an animated classic anymore, I believe that the original Ice Age is still a decent enough animated flick that may not have deserved so many sequels afterward, but is entertaining for both film fans and animation fans of all ages.
(Final Grade: B-)