I think it's safe to say that the Ice Age franchise exists on a solid middle ground. It's watchable, inoffensive, and not really worth remembering once the movie is over. Dawn of the Dinosaurs aims for the same standards. It plays it safe, doesn't mess too much with the formula established in the last two films, and doesn't try to stand out in any way. In a year when animated movies like Coraline and Up have raised the bar, Ice Age seems almost downright quaint.

The simple plot finds our heroes from the other movies facing changes. Wooly mammoth couple Manny (voice by Ray Romano) and Ellie (Queen Latifah) are expecting their first child. Saber-toothed tiger Diego (Dennis Leary) fears he's starting to lose his edge, and wants to strike out on his own. Meanwhile, goofy sloth Sid (John Leguizamo) wants kids of his own after seeing Manny and Ellie preparing for theirs. This causes him to wander off and discover a lost underground world of dinosaurs. He takes three discarded dino eggs, hatches them, and tries to act as their mother until their actual T-Rex mother tracks him down and carries him back to the underground world with her babies. Manny and the others make their way to the lost prehistoric world to find Sid, and along the way, befriend an insane weasel named Buck (Simon Pegg), who has had more than his share of experiences with the dangerous dinos (particularly a very dangerous carnivore that he calls "Rudy"), and has seemingly lost a good portion of his mind due to his numerous near-death encounters.

Dawn of the Dinosaurs has an attractive look, but is completely lacking in terms of storytelling. It's something that seems to be a disturbing trend for animation studio, Blue Sky. Aside from their last effort (2008's wonderful Horton Hears a Who), their movies have been passable, but mainly forgettable experiences. That's because directors Carlos Saldanha (Ice Age: The Meltdown) and Mike Thurmeier can't think of anything new to do with the cast of characters. Even placing the characters in a new setting of a lost prehistoric world that exists under the ice of their world doesn't help matters, because the movie doesn't do anything with this world. It exists simply as a backdrop to some action set pieces that seem tailor made to be transformed into levels for the video game tie-in that's probably sitting on store shelves now. The dinosaurs play a surprisingly small role in the overall plot as well, and are mainly kept in the background, or lurking menacingly in the shadows. The filmmakers seem to be wasting their own potential here, choosing instead to play it safe, and focus on the same characters who haven't changed at all from the previous installment.

The new characters do what they can to liven up what seems to be a strictly average cash-in sequel. The previously mentioned Buck gets the best lines, thanks to the way Pegg completely throws himself into the role of this bizarre character. He gives the film what little energy there is, and should there be an Ice Age 4, I will be very disappointed if he does not return. There is also now a romantic interest/comic foil for Scrat, that strange squirrel-like creature who has long been a fan favorite. It livens up his comic hunt for an acorn, but doesn't really add anything to the movie overall. As for the returning characters, a lot of them seem underused here. They say a few puns or make a statement about what they're looking at, but they seldom do anything. It's disappointing, since I found the characters likable in the previous films. Here, the filmmakers almost seem to forget that they're supposed to be the stars of the film, and treat them as casual observers.
Dawn of the Dinosaurs isn't unwatchable, but it sure does seem awfully juvenile. The humor and storytelling is aimed almost directly at kids in the single digits, except for a few inappropriate adult jokes that sneak in to give the movie a PG-rating. I suppose families view these movies as sort of cinematic comfort food. It's safe and kid-friendly for the most part, and they know exactly what to expect. Unless you have kids who are dying to see this film, you can find something better to do with your time.

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