The school holiday movie season is in full swing, headed up by the latest journey back to the Ice Age... 

Since the first film launched back in 2002, the Ice Age franchise has delighted children (and often their parents) across the globe, for its great mix of humour, visual brilliance and family themes.

The film begins in familiar style, with Scrat the sabre-toothed squirrel in his usual pursuit of his hallowed acorn.

This time round, the hapless rodent, who can’t speak but manages to display some of the best character in the film, sets off a chain of events that results in the mega-continent of Pangaea breaking up into separate parts.

With a flagrant regard for historical accuracy, the characters then embark on an adventure across the seas drifting on icebergs, encountering pirates, an alluring white tiger and sweet female mammoth named Peaches along the way.

Of course, it’s non-stop shenanigans, with loads of gags and perhaps the Ice Age franchise’s most visually stunning adventure yet – but it does feel as if it’s lost a little bit of the spark of the first three.

Ice Age 4: Continental Drift is the film in the series not directed by Brazilian wiz Carlos Saldanha, with duties shared this time round with Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier (the latter of whom co-directed the last outing Dawn Of The Dinosaurs with Saldanha).

Martino and Thurmeier have done a great job at replicating the visual brilliance that makes Ice Age so great, but unfortunately, some of the humour doesn’t have as much punch as in the past (with perhaps the exception of the scenes involving the sirens).

That’s not to say kids won’t enjoy it – far from it. This one is aimed at them and in that regard, it delivers on all levels.

All their favourite characters are there, with Ray Romano returning as the voice of Manny, John Leguizamo as Sid,  Chris Wedge as Scrat, alongside a huge cast of Hollywood stars and musicians as voices including Queen Latifah, Sean William Scott, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, Rebel Wilson, Patrick Stewart, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and more.

If you’re looking for a great flick to keep the younger kids busy this holidays, then this is it.

>> Review by Jesse Kuch. Ice Age 4: Contintental Drift is out at Australian cinemas nationwide.

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