Ice Age 4: Continental Drift - Review

The most unusual herd ever seen on screen is back. Well, this seems to be superhit sequels month; we had Batman hitting us with his final chapter last week, and now comes Ice Age with its fourth instalment. Over this decade-long franchise, we have developed a real liking and understanding of its characters. We know what to expect from them and the franchise.

As you would expect with any Ice Age movie, the start and the finish have to be orchestrated by one man – Scrat. He is once again up to what he has been doing ever since the Ice Age franchise began – chasing the acorn. This time his antics spark off a turn of events that, as per the film makers, is the reason why the whole world (that was one landmass) is now split into continents. The first few minutes of the film should make you wonder about the bountiful imagination and sense of humor of the people behind Ice Age. In a minute, they show how the world cracked up into continents, show you how the pyramids in Egypt, Mount Rushmore and many other historic landmarks came into being – all courtesy Scrat’s sojourn to the earth’s core. That one minute sets the tone for a movie that should be full of moments of fun and mirth.

That’s how it begins. Its all fun, as you are reintroduced to the strangest herd ever. Manny is as solid and reliable as before, Diego still has the ‘devil may care attitude’, Ellie still hangs upside down from a branch at night and everybody’s favourite, Sid, has not gotten over his juvenile stupid ways, which by the way everyone loves. Ice Age is the only occasion where you will see the arrival of a sloth on screen being cheered. And, there is a new addition to the herd, we had seen her as a baby in the last instalment, now she’s all grown up and ready to have a boyfriend much to Manny’s dismay. Who are we talking about? Peaches, the daughter of Manny and Ellie. Sid is reunited with his family, even though if its only for a few seconds and is then saddled with his granny. Diego as usual is trying in vain to be considerate without knowing the meaning of the word. That is when the action starts, the crack up rather. Earth cracks, pulling asunder the family that was once together. Soon you have Manny, Diego and Sid floating away on the ocean on a piece of ice. It looks as if the world has to come to and end!

How does the family get back together? In an adventure that has pirate ships made entirely of ice, a monkey pirate king who likes to sing, a crew so heterogenous you would think it would make the protagonists look like a perfectly normal herd, narwhals, battling  hyraxes and a huge whale – the family is finally together again. You don’t want to miss this adventure.

Ice Age 4 does not have the same fun quotient as its predecessors. You don’t get as many Sid moments as you would have liked and the camaraderie of the herd has not been given enough space to really set the house on fire. The focus of this instalment is more on the adventure part, with well-planned villainy making a return to this franchise after it was last seen in the first instalment. With a major portion of the story taking place at sea, the canvas of the herd’s adventure seems to have been compensated. But, this holds true only for a brief period of time. Also, the fact that none of the characters aboard the pirate ship, except Captain Gutt and his first mate Shira, make an impression dampens the movie a bit. And, the frequent cuts between the sea and the mainland (where Ellie and Peaches are) robs some momentum away from the adventure. Many would say that it is expectations that end up killing a movie or a franchise because they are so hard to match. But, curiously, in the case of Ice Age, at least in the fourth instalment, it is the expectations and the already existing familiarity with its characters that make the movie worth watching. It is as if you know, on cue, who’s lines are going to be funny, when to expect the next joke and what unbelievable idiocy Sid will be up to next. In fact, it is this impending sense of fun that is about to happen that keeps the movie afloat on many occasions. But, the good thing is that the impending fun does happen, more often than not.

Ice Age is a whole lot of fun. The dialogues, which have always been the best thing about this franchise do not disappoint this time, especially the lines given to Sid; you will simply love the different guesses he makes about the ‘L’ word. The visuals are splendid, at times exhilarating, especially the bobsleigh ride by Sid’s family and the storm sequence (this portion makes the extra money spent on the 3-D glasses worth it). And, of course, there is the amazing imagination of the creative talent behind Ice Age that never ceases to surprise you. You must watch the battle scenes to really appreciate the details. Also, do not miss the Scratlantis part right towards the end. You get to laugh quite a lot, heartily at that. You will not at all be disappointed. It may be the weakest film of the Ice Age franchise, but its still does enough to stand on its own merit as a light hearted entertainer which you will you not regret watching. The 3-D might be an enhancement that has done little to help, except on a couple of occasions, but it is still worth a try.

Above all, if you have watched Ice Age before and have loved the characters that have been so beautifully sketched, then there is no way that you will find this movie uninteresting. It’s like meeting old friends once again; fun is guaranteed, especially when Sid dances!

Verdict: Plain sailing at times - but mostly hilarious!

The Dark Knight Rises: Review

More Bruce and Bane than Batman!

‘If you want peace, prepare for war’, goes a saying. Gotham is at peace, but they are not preparing for war. Harry Dent is an immortalized hero. Bruce Wayne is a recluse in his mansion and Batman is an evil who has been forgotten as history by the people of Gotham. Eight years after he was last seen, the Dark Knight Rises again. One last time for Gotham, for his people, but more than everything because this is the only way he can reclaim his life.

The Dark Knight Rises; the way the legend ends (as they claim it does) is as grim and serious as a Batman movie has ever got. A constant feeling of numb brooding, of intense agony, of pain, and the search for one’s redemption or salvation. The Dark Knight is more about the Batman’s internal conflicts than it is about the dangers that face Gotham city; which are pretty immense by the way. That is what is good and bad about the movie at the same time. Almost everyone can connect to Bruce Wayne and the identity crisis that he faces, the pain he feels and his wish to be rid of the weight on his shoulders, to have a life for himself. But, we are in here to see an action movie aren’t we? Yes, we are Batman fans and want to see the Batman. In the end, you have seen more of Bruce than Batman.

The premise is pretty simple. Another dark force, this time appropriately called ‘Bane’, has set his sights on Gotham. But, he is no ordinary thug; he is out to fulfil what he calls the destiny of Rah’s Al Gul, Bruce Wayne’s mentor. So, we know that the Batman is up against a force that is perhaps as strong as him. Add to it the fact that ‘Bane’ is backed by some big power and an underground army; not to forget that Bruce Wayne has remained shut indoors for eight years. He is not as agile as he was, even though he is not willing to admit it.  But, underestimating Bane comes at a heavy price. Batman finds himself in the gallows and Gotham is at the mercy of Bane. Will the Dark Knight Rise again? Sure, we know he will! But, what does it take and what does it cost?

We know that the Batman franchise, especially under Nolan, has not been the usual superhero type movies. Its not all about one powerful villain after another coming and launching a series of attacks and the superhero always arriving on time to save the day. We know that Nolan thinks above that level. But, this time, maybe he stretched it a bit too much. Well, you can give the first hour for solidly establishing the premise. But then, you want to see Batman. He makes a couple of fleeting appearances before disappearing for another hour. Meanwhile, an anarchy is set up in Gotham, all order is overthrown. It is around here that the tedium begins to set in. While Gotham struggles to stand on its feet, so does Batman. Having an entire city on tenterhooks, establishing a parallel law and order system, carrying out executions and preparing for ultimate destruction; all this are shown in so much detail that makes you stifle a few yawns. And, in the middle of that you also have to see Bruce Wayne taking push ups, waiting for his chance in some prison. Legends about Rah’s Al Gul, a child, Bane are all thrown into the mix. All the while, you know how this is going to end, almost! The dank, almost depressing mood in these portions makes The Dark Knight Rises unlike any superhero movie we have seen.

Of course, there are things that are immensely enjoyable too. You get the ever-likeable Morgan Freeman bringing his demeanour and elegant humor into play as Lucius Fox, you have Michael Caine as the butler, the Batpod and assorted paraphernalia, including a car that is not just a car, that have always been Batman specialties. It is these familiar things about the Batman franchise that you enjoy most. Unfortunately, they are overshadowed by other elements, like Bane, the legend of the child who made the great leap and all details of an anarchist occupation. That we don’t see as much of the Batpod as we would like is in itself a big drawback for the movie. The action really doesn’t thrill you, nor does Bane (really no match for the Joker). It’s a plot that could have made for some racy, gripping action. But, Nolan chooses to plod through it, giving us glimpses into the character’s minds and hearts, compromising for pace, holding a few aces for the end, building up to a culmination that leaves no room for questions.

Of course, Nolan succeeds in emotionally connecting us to Bruce Wayne. As his butler puts it, even you want him to drop the cape and find a life of his own. But, the routes Nolan takes to establish the emotional connect spoils the fun of what could have been a superhero entertainer. You will, however, enjoy the wit that occurs in flashes in a few lines, the dramatic entry of The Dark Knight on his Batpod and the adrenaline that accompanies it. You will also remember some of the inspirational lines placed here and there, like, ‘allowing fear to find you once again’. And, most of all you will love the way the movie ends.

Nolan has chosen perhaps the most poetic of endings for the franchise. But, which Hollywood studio in its right mind would end a successful franchise without giving a hint that its not over yet. Where one legend ends, another begins. As the lady at the desk says to the cop who has just resigned, ‘I like your name. You should use it more often, Robin!’ The Dark Knight will rise again.

Verdict: The Dark Knight Rises – but doesn’t fly high!