I saw this movie last Wednsday and I’m somewhat surprised at some of the reviews I’m seeing. I thought it was okay, for a non-pixar animated movie. I laughed several times. Sure, its not going to do great at the Oscars, but hey, I thought it was worth the money. As for the bathroom jokes, I did think they were a little over-used.
Pretty much what I’ll be expecting, I guess, mo. Thanks for the review. 
Well, pretty much like the Transformers sequel, it had been panned by critics alike, but IA3 has done a respectable opening run at the theatres.
Going up against the titanic Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Dawn of the Dinosaurs gathered a healthy $67.5 million in five days (55 percent of which from 1,606 3D venues), while The Meltdown’s five-day was $75.6 million. Nevertheless, Dawn’s five-day attendance was effectively on par with the first Ice Age, not to mention it tied with TF2 for first place at the box-office for $42.5M each.
However despite three years of ticket price increases and extra surcharges for the 3D presentation, the toon basically needed five days to gross what its predecessor Ice Age: The Meltdown did in its first three days.
As an interesting comparison for Pixar fans, Up grossed a similar $68.1M in its first three days.
I’ll just quote Box Office Mojo’s interesting analysis on Ice Age 3’s underperformance in comparison with its predecessor:
Whatever archaelogist-wannabes. 
In case you didn’t notice, it’s a movie, not a documentary!
At least it’s making money. I’ll be going to see it tomorrow, so I’ll see whether Blue Sky deserves it. Or not.
It had massive opening in Estonia, broke records for biggest opening day and biggest first five days. 
I wish Pixar movies were so successful in Estonia.
eerik - omg Estonia?? Wicked. I wanna go there.
Haha, I actually have almost no desire to see this. I admit that some of the ads and commercials were pretty funny, but to be honest, I’m actually going to see Up again instead later this week 
(and I’m saving the rest of my movie theater money on the Harry Potter movie for some horrid reason xD)
I’ve seen the commercial, so I’ve already seen the whole movie.
Sorry Ice Age fans, but I just can’t bring myself to see it.
As much as I am a fan of this film, I also wished Pixar would’ve make history in Estonia. Seriously, a Blue Sky animated film breaking the box-office record for biggest opening of all-time? Bigger than even, say, Dark Knight or Titanic? 
I’m afraid you haven’t, 1986. I’m surprised they managed to keep much of the dino world scenes under wraps, but I did get annoyed they spoiled most of the Scrat scenes. But you’re entitled to your own opinion.
…
Anyhoo, I just watched it yesterday on Cheap Tuesday with a couple of my animation buddies. The 3-D surcharge was almost twice that of conventional, so I saw the normal 2-D version (I’m saving my money for Up’s 3-D anyway).
Most of you reading this thread would know the synopsis by know, so I’ll spare you the details. Now as much as I enjoyed this movie, it is only fair that I tell you that this movie has good and bad points (pretty much like any film, really). Try to keep with me, cos’ I tend to ramble a bit since I’ve been looking forward to this film for a long time.
The storyline is much more action-packed than the first and second. Althogether, there’s probably about three to four action setpieces, mostly involving the characters slipping, sliding or flying through mortal peril. The two standout for me were Sid’s egg scramble and the climatic pterodactyl chase. There’s lots of neat parodies to genre conventions and film references, like [spoil]Ellie’s Flintstones holler, the red wire/blue wire conundrum in the pitcher plant, and the airplane sound effects in the pterodactyl chase.[/spoil]
Character development-wise, Blue Sky has at least made an attempt to give each character an arc (even the possum twins have one, which is their admiration of Buck), but sadly, nothing much comes out of most of them. It’s mostly the case that with each addition of a sequel, more cast members get added, and they all have to compete with screentime with respect to their own storylines. I must laud them for Sid’s touching story of ‘maternal’ love, which most members here say is the strongest plotline. A lot of people complained about the first half hour being boring, but I fail to see how that is true. The opening scenes serve to introduce the characters to newbies and update fans on what the herd has been up to since we last left them, and it’s important that they set the emotional groundwork for Sid’s attachment to the dino babies for what is to come later on. Indeed, the scenes where he [spoil]protects the eggs, raises the hatchlings, and even stands up against Momma Dino[/spoil] are both endearing and heartwaming, and this all takes place within the first act! They had to establish what the characters have to fear or care about as a precursor or foreshadowing of what they would have to face later on. And although it was predictable, I almost teared when he [spoil]had to leave them in the end[/spoil]. For once, you actually get emotionally-invested in Sid’s attempts to raise a family, instead of him being relegated to being the comic relief, and his story ironically forms the emotional backbone of the film, IMO.
Manny and Ellie’s storyline is slightly underwhelming, since most of the time Manny, as I predicted, suffers from Marlin (from Finding Nemo)-parental-anxiety. His fears for Ellie’s safety are made pretty explicit throughout the film, but when it comes to the moment where he has to ‘let go’, it is not as dramatically-impactful as the climax in Finding Nemo.
Diego is also pretty underutilised, his problem of him ‘losing his touch’ feeling forced and unnecessary, not to mention [spoil]it, too, being conveniently solved at the climax[/spoil]. The possum brothers have little to do beside making wisecracks and admiring Buck, but they never had much to do in the previous installment anyway, either. I was disappointed, because one of the quotes on the official website made it sound like there would be sibling jealousy whereupon the younger of the twins would look up to Buck instead of his older bro, but that never happened. Maybe I was reading too much into it, but the fact still remains that the possum brothers have nothing much to do in this sequel either.
The new character Buck is the most intriguing of the lot, and I must give kudos to Simon Pegg for doing a brilliant job voicing this tortured, demented, but streetwise enigma of a character. Obviously his many months spent in the hostile dino world has unhinged his personality a fair bit, and his quirky mannerisms, deluded ramblings, and sinewy animation (reminscent of Chuck Jones’ Rikki Tikki Tavi) make him one of the most intriguing and enigmatic characters in modern 3-D animation to date. While we’re on the topic of character animation, I must give kudos to the animators, who, believe it or not, seem to be beating Dreamworks and Pixar at their own game. [u]Aspiring animators should watch this purely for studying Buck, Scratte and Sid’s body movements alone.[/url] They’re all fantastic, and the most entertaining I’ve watched from an animated film in a long while,
As for the Scrat x Scratte love story, it was adorable for what it was worth. I got most of the scenes spoiled by the stupid TV spots, but it is still fun to watch the two compete for the cursed acorn and each other’s affections. [spoil]The Tango dance[/spoil] was beautifully done with a hint of cheekiness, and their [spoil]kiss against the lava backdrop[/spoil] is just as breathtaking as [spoil]Wall-E and Eve’s smack in space.[/spoil] In fact, much of their courting reminded me of the robots, there was even one scene in a montage where [spoil]they rowed down a river in almost the exact same angle as Wall-E’s shot in “First Date”![/spoil] But I was disappointed that Scrat didn’t exactly work to win the heart of Scratte, in fact, [spoil]his rescue of her was pretty much an accident![/spoil] It would be better if he had to choose between the item he desires (the acorn) and the person he cares about (Scratte), like John Silver in Treasure Planet (the ship of gold or Jim) or Kuzko in Emperor’s New Groove (the potion or Pacha). Their relationship merely served as brief comic interludes in between scenes, but Sky could’ve lifted it beyond being mere comic fodder. It’s ironic that Sid and Scrat have seemed to swap places in who the audience is more emotionally-invested in. The end was also annoying, [spoil]since we all know deep down Scrat was always in love with the acorn and yet was never destined to get it (he ditched Scratte when she became too controlling, and yet he lost the acorn to her), but I still would’ve preferred a more definitive and happy ending for him (he hooks up with Scratte, and he finally lets go of chasing that elusive acorn). But then again, people find his misfortunes funnier than his successes, I suppose. It’s why Looney Tunes was so successful as a cartoon series.[/spoil]
I guess the overall gripe I have with the movie is that Blue Sky did a good attempt at giving their character’s personalities, their inner demons to struggle with, and a spectacular world for them to explore. But they don’t quite pull it off with as much courage or finesse as Pixar, instead, [spoil]resolving the story with an “Everything is back to normal” lame conclusion. Nothing has changed (except with the addition of Peaches to the herd), maybe the characters come off a bit wiser, having learnt their lesson of the day (and indeed, as Manny points out at the end, the movie did take place over the course of one day), but they’ll forget about all this in the next movie. Even Scrat didn’t get Scratte or the acorn in the end![/spoil] I guess what I want to say is, is that the stakes are not raised high enough storywise, which is a shame really, seeing that if they wanted to, the ending was pretty definitive and it could be the conclusion to the franchise (although I wouldn’t say that a fourth could still be made). My theatre buddy turned to me at one point after [spoil]the velociraptor fight was over and whispered “I’d rather have Diego die protecting Ellie. That would be more devastating” or something like that.[/spoil] Granted, it might be a bit morbid for the kids, but you get the idea. Even the much hyped [spoil]Rudy who menaces the group throughout the entire movie gets defeated too easily in an epilogue showdown, almost like an afterthought.[/spoil] For a wild adventure into the great unknown, it’s a bit tame.
Overall, if you’re a fan of the franchise, or want to study some interesting animal movement animations, or just want a fun night out at the movies (I seriously had more fun and laughs with this than Transformers), then this adventure is worth taking. Just don’t expect Pixar-level storytelling or characterizations, though I must say, Blue Sky came pretty close. I give this:
4 out of 5 Acorns
On a side note, they showed the international trailer for Up again. The audience was the most responsive I’ve experienced yet, gasping when the house floated away, cooing when Dug talked, and guffawing when Russell was dragged along the window. They laughed especially hard at Russell’s throwing of the GPS out of the window, for some reason. In comparison, the reaction was more subdued when they played the trailer for Aliens in the Attic and the Chipmunks Squeakquel teaser.
I’ve read all the reviews here, and I must say it’s rather disappointing to hear that it wasn’t all that great. Still, I feel the desire to watch it. I’ll just know not to have high expectations- just expect some laughs, a little character development, a little more on Sid then I’m used to, and a little less on Scrat than I want to, if that makes sense. Overall, it still looks enjoyable to me.
Don’t expect too much from a second sequel, anyway (except the upcoming Toy Story 3).
Thanks for the heads-up guys.
P.S. I haven’t taken the time to visit the website at all lately. I want to avoid any more spoilers (though I have already seen too much from tv. spots and advetisements.)
P.P.S. I’ve seen several commercials using Scrat going after a soda or something instead of an acorn. Pretty funny.
I saw Ice Age 3 yesterday and I’m afraid I’ll have to chime in with the “not such a great movie”-choir.
Despite containing a quote from Dante’s Divine Comedy (at least in the German version), this definitely was not divine comedy, not by a long shot.
Besides an unfortunate overload of immature jokes at least it had a couple of scenes that were quite nice, so for me it still ranks above the utter disaster that was Shrek the Third.
That said, the kids in the theater seemed to like it, whereas the parents weren’t that thrilled either.
Too bad…after Horton I really had high hopes for this one.
What quote would that be, totoro? I’m surprised they would drop in such an obscure reference (I’ve heard of the poem before, but never read it). Maybe it’s referring to how the Land of the Dinosaurs is like the Inferno (Hell) section of the poem?
It’s a heck of a lot better than Shrek 3, that’s for sure. I’d say it’s one of Blue Sky’s better efforts, I found more to like in it than Horton, which I felt overpadded the book’s original story to make it a full-length movie. But yes, I agree with you that it would be better if they dropped the scatological jokes a bit.
Well BDD, it’s not really that bad. It’s kind of better than Monsters vs Aliens and a little below Cars in terms of plot quality. You can pretty much guess what’s gonna happen at the end, but it’s the journey they undertake which makes it worthwhile. It’s not deep or anything, but I’d have to say it’s in my top three films of the year so far (only because most of the movies that have come out so far have been disappointingly mediocre).
As in a soft drink? Do you know whether I can watch it online?
While we’re on the subject of ads, here’s a couple to keep any fans entertained:
Happy Meal - I like this one the best. It seems Scrat seems to like Happy Meals more than his acorn, which Scratte uses to her advantage.
Happy Meal Toys - Apparently, they even have a McD in the Dinosaur world! 
M&M’s Pretty good spoof of the teaser, is the language German? Seems like it’s from Austria from the site domain code.
Horlicks Chill Dood - Besides having a pretty cheesy-sounding brand name, it has some bad masking effects.
Last week I went with my little cousin to see Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs in 3D. After reading the reviews here, I had low expectations. Once the movie started though, I was kept entertained. The story wasn’t as refined as you’d find with Pixar movies, but there was a definite plot and a few subplots. There was an attempt made at character development, but I feel they could have went further with it.
I enjoyed the film as a whole. It kept me engaged throughout the whole movie with silly humor and some action packed scenes. I thought the 3D was handled nicely too. There wasn’t a lot of in your face 3D action that plagues some 3D movies. I thought it was handled rather tastefully.
My sentiments exactly. They should have pushed the bar more, but it deserved bigger credit than most critics gave it.
Again, ditto.
I’m now considering whether I should see it a second time in 3D (my bro, who hasn’t watched it, said that I should have seen it in 3D in the first place if I wanted to). Ah, silly me. If I do go with it though, I’d be paying twice the amount of the 2D version. Ridiculous price mark-ups…whinge… grumble… whine…
It was “Lasst, die ihr eintretet, alle Hoffnung fahren” (“All hope abandon ye who enter here”) or a very close variantion.
And indeed that’s taken from “Inferno”.
At first I kind of was expecting this movie to… well not be the best (let’s put it that way)
But I just saw it anyway because my friend wanted to see it, and I must say I was quite surprised.
I’ve had a big childhood obsession with dinosaurs, so especially that part of the movie I liked.
And also the character Buck, he had a big adventurous personality, like Carl and Ellie and Charles Muntz combined.
But what kind of annoyed me was Scrat. It’s kind of annoying because I felt so sorry for him that it just got irritating. Like the Trix commercial and the poor rabbit…
But they had a not-bad story, somewhat predictable, but still a very good story and okay character development
Of course it can’t compare to the charm of Pixar, but I liked this Ice Age movie the most.
Maybe 3.5/5
Some prognosticars and chart watchers are saying that Ice Age 3 will surpass Nemo as one of the biggest grossing animated features of all time.
Only about $100M away now, and it’s been out about 5 weeks, worldwide. Currently, it is the #5 animated of all time, not that it deserves it of course. It already has passed Nemo as the foreign animated champ, some people here have been aghast at its take in such countries as Russia and Mexico. Nemo made about $864M, Shrek2 $919.2M.
Domestically, only $184M so far, which is good, but is also the main reason why it hasn’t blown all the others away. Thank goodness for better critics and taste here!
Here is the story being circulated at Variety:
‘Ice Age’ set to break record overseas
—Toon likely will pass ‘Nemo’ as top animated film By DAVE MCNARY
(Lasseter preaches fail-safe philosophy(972 views))
Though most of the attention has gone to “Harry Potter” the family demo plus the attraction of 3-D has kept “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” also sizzling in international markets. … In less than a month …has become the 17th member of the elite club of pics that have grossed half a billion dollars outside the U.S.
It’s already the highest grosser in a dozen markets – Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Estonia, Lithuania, Mexico, Peru, Romania, Russia, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
As of July 28, foreign coin had hit $514.7 million, leaving “Dawn of the Dinosaurs” poised to pass “Finding Nemo” ($528 million) as the top animated film on the list. And with two key markets still to open – South Korea on Aug. 12 and Italy on Aug. 28 – it’s likely “Dawn of the Dinosaurs” will become the ninth film to go past $600 million in foreign gross.
Several factors have contributed to the eye-popping numbers at the foreign wickets for the now-famous “Ice Age” characters – Manny, Sid, Diego and Scrat: the novelty of 3D theaters, which have brought in 38% of the international take; the good will from the first two “Ice Age” pics, particularly “Ice Age: The Meltdown” and its $450 million-plus overseas cume; and the absence of competition, with Disney opting for its usual strategy of a gradual release internationally of “Up,” its big summer title. As of July 28, “Up” had opened overseas in only Russia and Latin America.
wow! This isn’t a prank? I would never think that Ice Age 3 would ever end up passing Nemo, if a movie deserves to be the #1 animated film, it should be Up
Or Wall-E. Or The Incredibles. Or Toy Story. Or The Lion King. Or Up (wait, you mentioned that, heheh). The point is, people back then didn’t have as much disposable income to spend on theatre visits as we do now (even in this lousy economic climate). Not to mention ticket prices have to be adjusted for inflation.
As much as I love IA3, I’m surprised it’s seizing the crown from Nemo, at least, internationally. As shocking as Epic Movie being the #1 movie in America for its opening weekend in 2006, or G-Force trumping Harry at the B.O. this year. Woohoo, talk about cinematic anarchy! 
Yes! It really should! 
Did you know with adjusted numbers for ticket prices the Lion King made more than Shrek 2? 
I think it’s quite sad that Ice Age 3 is doing so well. I’m not saying it’s a terrible film or anything, because it isn’t, but I do think it’s a shame that it’s overtaking not only Pixar films but other really, really good animated films. It doesn’t really say much for the world’s taste in animated films, does it? But, as thedriveintheatre showed with some other examples, it’s always difficult to tell what the masses will go for, and as has been shown in the past, a good film doesn’t always mean plenty of profits.
Yes, I animate.
I can’t believe how much it has taken off overseas.
[url]http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/business/la-fi-ct-iceage18-2009aug18,0,1075152.story[/url]
I’m honestly a little surprised too that Ice Age 3 has done this well, considering it’s the third of the series of Ice Ages. Yeah, I loved Ice Age 3, but of course, not as much as other films, but I DID like better than Ice Age 2 and the first. I like Rudy. Rudy is a good carnivore in my opinion although I’ve had controversity over identifying the species. On my Top Trump cards, it says that he is a Baryonx, and may very well be, but I have not noticed the famous large claw. I’m more or less guessing him to be a Suchomimus.