Metacritic reviews

Ice Age: The Meltdown blithely looks on the bright side of life, amassing a screen full of vultures to sing and dance ''Food Glorious Food'' and daring us not to get happy.

This "Ice Age" is still a good movie (especially for kids) with top-of-the-tech CGI.

The movie still retains the goofy charm, stylish visuals and attention to character of its fine 2002 predecessor. Queen Latifah is a warm and plummy new presence as a voluptuous lady mammoth whose only drawback is that she was raised by possums and thinks she's one herself.

This is a lackluster film that exists exclusively because its predecessor made money.

The sweet, furry animals are witty and often funny, and while the physical comedy is simple, the main characters ultimately aren't.

It's more like watching a typical animated-shorts collection - a few highlights, a lot of clinkers - than like watching an actual movie.

The animation is uninspired (with so much ice, the creatures need to be twice as good-looking), and the story is humdrum. (The saber-toothed tiger learns to swim!)

The animation is first-rate...But the story needs to catch up to the magic. Otherwise, what's the point?

The film is enjoyable enough, at least for young children.

Much of the original film's geniality – and all of its pro-environment stumping – has gone missing; what we have instead is a watered-down likeness that curiously turns disaster flick in its too-scary third act.