Delayed Reaction: Ice Age: The Meltdown

The Pitch: What happened after the Ice Age? Things got warmer. Sure, it took thousands of years. Kids don't know that.

What Took Me So Long: I've seen the original and know enough not to expect anything new or different from the sequels.

Why I Saw It: (Club 50) This is a seriously big franchise worldwide. I haven't done the number (which is uncommon for me) but it probably the biggest non-Toy Story or Shrek franchise out there. It has kept Blue Sky Studios on the map. And, the movie isn't so bad. Scrat's back to break things up with his ridiculously difficult attempts to get that acorn. Ray Ramono, John Leguizamo, and Denis Leary are a wonderfully eclectic voice cast. Throwing in Queen Latifa is a smart addition. In general, I have to credit the Ice Age movies for their keen ear in voice casting. They don't target a lot of people we've heard before.

Why I Wish I Hadn't: The part of my mind that has even taken a science class spent the whole time screaming at this, of course. This is not as clever as the original movie, which is to be expected. In general, I can only say I wasn't the target audience or a collateral audience. It is enjoyable but not for me.

Verdict (?): Weakly Don't Recommend