Ice Age: Collision Course – Release Date: 15th July 2016

If there was ever an example of a franchise being driven into the ground and milked for all its worth, Collision course is the perfect example of this. Rehashed jokes and devoid of ideas, the film fails to live up to the charm the first couple of films delivered. The franchise has been going this way for a while, wobbling with the past couple of titles but its here that the franchise really shows its tedium with a less than adequate sequel.

The story starts with Scrat, the acorn-eluding squirrel trying to capture its prize in increasingly bizarre scenarios. This one takes the scenario a step further by having him try to capture the acorn in space, sparking a chain of events that threaten to destroy the Ice Age world forever. Instead of just surviving this time around, the gang of animals must travel around the world to find a solution and save the planet. This change in focus at least attempts to bring such much needed creativity to the series but its execution leaves a lot to be desired.

Of course, the film is really well rendered and the animation is well done. The voice acting is good, although personally it would have been nice to have more of Simon Pegg, and the lip syncing is on point, Children will of course love this film, its silly jokes and bright colours are enough to sustain the little one’s but for adults, this is one logic-defying Ice Age title too many. It feels lazy on so many levels and its a shame because the franchise started so brightly. The original film was good, its first couple of sequels moved the series along but it feels like enough is enough now. The jokes are not on the same level as it once was, the characters feel lazily motivated and aren’t as fleshed out as they once were and what ensues is an animation that seems to have lost its way and its only purpose to drive sales of merchandise.

Overall then, Ice Age: Collision Course is a throwaway animation that’s sure to please young kids in the short term and its a shame because the animation is good but for longevity, the only Collision Course here is the one hitting the franchise into obscurity.