Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas not only entertained all the members in our family, but it had us laughing out loud several times during its 26-minute run. Still there were some parts that weren't appreciated.
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Synopsis
In Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas, America’s favorite arctic herd is busy decorating for the holiday season. In his rush to help, Sid (John Leguizamo) destroys Manny’s (Ray Romano) favorite decorations. Manny is so upset he convinces Sid he is now on Santa’s naughty list. Sid, Crash (Seann William Scott), Eddie (Josh Peck) and Peaches (Ciara Bravo) take off for the North Pole to plead their case to Santa (Billy Gardell).
Meanwhile, Manny, Ellie (Queen Latifah) and Diego (Denis Leary), worry over Peaches’ safety and race to find her. Back at the North Pole, Sid and his crew accidentally destroy Santa’s Workshop on Christmas Eve, and it’s up to these newfound friends to orchestrate a Christmas miracle. The instant holiday classic, directed by Karen Disher, also features the voice talent of Chris Wedge, T.J. Miller and Judah Friedlander.
What We Loved About The Ice Age Christmas Special
As both a pro and a con, the film was short. When I received the film for review from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, I assumed it was a full-length feature, but I was wrong. While some might not want to shell out the cash for such a short film, we found that it was actually a good thing. The holidays are so busy it's tough finding time to watch a full feature. This short film relaxed us and gave us an opportunity to laugh together as a quick break during the day.
Scrat continues his hysterical quest for the acorn (to music from The Nutcracker) while the others go out to find Santa. The writers came up with creative ways to incorporate modern Christmas traditions in Ice Age mentality, bringing about more giggles such as when Manny comments on the fact that a Christmas tree (as opposed to a Christmas rock) is a crazy idea and will never catch on.
Watching this film with several generations was appealing because the kids liked some of the modern lingo while parts of the film reminded older viewers of days gone by. One older person commented on a scene where they slid down the mountain, and commented that it reminded him of the Norelco razor ad from the 1960s.
What We Didn't Love so Much About The Ice Age Christmas Special
There were parts that were quite rude (fortunately the kids didn't really seem to notice). Also, the characters were often mean to each other both verbally and physically. They punched each other and said mean things such as telling each other that they were on the naughty list since there wasn't a loser list. There is one brief moment that's funny, but could give sensitive viewers nightmares so please preview if you have a sensitive viewer in your midst).
As a Christian, I was intrigued to note that many Christmas traditions were incorporated or alluded to, but there was no remote hint of anything biblical. I know the argument there was that Jesus reportedly appeared after the Ice Age, but then again, so did Santa, didn't he? There was also a seemingly militant defense of commercialism with the army of sloths. I don't know about you, but we try to avoid making commercialism the main focus of Christmas in our household.
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special originally aired on FOX on November 24, 2011. Is it a good family film? It's really up to your family. While I objected to parts, overall, we really enjoyed it. The children have already asked to show it to friends, and that's always a good sign. I would recommend catching it on television and previewing before purchasing so you know if it suits your family's style. After you watch it, please come back and write a comment below, telling us what you think of the film.
Christine Pollock - Christine Pollock loves to tell people that she watches TV for a living - a true fact that’s also appreciated by her ...
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