Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Blu-ray) By David Vaughn   •   November, 2009 Manfred (voiced by Ray Romano) is a nervous wreck eagerly awaiting the birth of his first child, but a new distraction comes along when Sid (John Leguizamo) disappears into a lost world of ferocious dinosaurs, and Manfred and his pack must do whatever they can to save their friend. Meanwhile, Scrat (Chris Wedge) goes nuts over the beautiful Scratte (Karen Disher), but is the attractive saber-toothed squirrel trying to win his heart or steal his precious acorn?

Like virtually all animated Blu-rays, this one offers plenty of eye candy, but the story lacks the ingenuity and entertainment value found in Pixar films. Ray Romano's whining gets old after a while, but one new character, Buck (Simon Pegg), is pretty funny as the pack's confused guide. There are some humorous moments, particularly when Sid becomes a parent, but some of the jokes go a little too far, especially when Sid goes to milk a bull—you shouldn't yank there, Sid!

As with the previous two Ice Age Blu-ray releases, the image quality is impressive, although it doesn't look as polished as a Pixar release. Colors are vivid, and the dimensionality of the image shows its 3D roots. Foregrounds are especially sharp and well-defined, but the backgrounds are a little flat by comparison. Overall, the image has some punch with occasionally inky blacks and great contrast.

I don't have any major complaints about the DTS-HD MA 7.1 soundtrack, but the sound design isn't as enveloping as the previous Ice Age films. On the plus side, the LFE will rattle the neighbor's windows, but the surround speakers are much too quiet for most of the movie. Things do pick up in the third act, especially when Buck corrals a flying prehistoric bird and hitches a ride, but after recently watching both Up and Monsters Inc., this soundtrack doesn't reach their level.

The 3-disc set includes a Blu-ray, DVD, and digital copy of the film. The supplements on the Blu-ray include a filmmaker's commentary, some production featurettes, two Scrat shorts (both very funny), BD-Live lookup that connects to IMDB to view details on the cast and crew, and a music video. The coolest featurette is the Ice Age storybook maker that offers three different levels depending on the age of the viewer (1-5, 6-11, and 12+)—my kids got a kick out of this feature.

Fox has done well with the Ice Age franchise, but I think it's time to put it to rest. While the presentation is technically sound, it doesn't quite reach the bar that Pixar has set, especially in the story department. Recommended for fans.

Release Date: October 27, 2009
Studio: Fox

Movie: 6/10
Picture: 9/10
Sound: 9/10

Review System

Source
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 power amplifier
Belkin PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics