Ice Age Christmas Special – Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011)

Directed by: Karen Disher | 22 minutes | short film, animation | Original voice cast: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Ciara Bravo, TJ Miller, Judah Friedlander, Billy Gardell, Jordan Friedlander, Karen Disher, Cindy Slattery, Chris Wedge

As much as anyone may have loved the animals from the ‘Ice Age’ movies, the Christmas special, in and of itself, isn’t exactly something to run to the store for. As an extra in the DVD or Blu-ray box, which also contains the three feature films, it is nice to watch once, but the disc has little value on its own. Perhaps just to reiterate that saber-toothed squirrel Scrat still steals the show, leaving all other characters far behind in entertainment.

The story of the special has very little to offer, is very predictable, has hardly any tension, too little humor, and unfortunately cannot escape the sweetness that you normally associate with Christmas films. It turns out to be an impossible split to both make fun of Christmas and to remain child- and Christmas-friendly by proclaiming the usual song and dance numbers and the message of love and friendship.

The film has not become a wasted, but it is often a bit too bland and “safe”. Maybe it’s time for a change of heart when it comes to humor. Yes, Sid is a klutz who can’t do anything right, and he and Diego are always at odds. Fine, but Sid’s usual slapstick and Diego’s one-liners are starting to feel a bit uninspired. Still, John Leguizamo’s gooey voice continues to do well for humor and the two amoral and hyperactive possums, who have been part of the regular cast since part two, always guarantee some dry remarks. But the whole search for Santa and the confrontation with his protection army causes little enthusiasm or laughter. When in the end everyone tries to save Christmas by working together and a few more deus-ex reindeer appear, the temptation is great to stop the film. Fortunately, director Karen Disher is currently putting an end to it herself.

The only moments when it really gets fun and laughable is when crowd favorite Scrat suddenly shows up, struggling with that one jerk that keeps on escaping his grasp. However, during his first appearance in the film, for a change he has a whole collection of acorns at his disposal, which he manages to conquer from different places, very rhythmically to the music of – how could it be otherwise – Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. The pre-Christmas special, a teaser for ‘Ice Age 4’, is another hoot with our Scrat in the lead role. It’s unbelievable how one basic joke can stay fun for so long. Because, in how many ways can such a beast lose an acorn, you may wonder. In many ways, as it turns out, when Scrat has to chase the acorn all the way into the Earth’s core. Admittedly, it all gets more and more fantastic and very far-fetched, but what does that matter if the result remains so funny? Scrat continues to be the lifesaver in the ‘Ice Age’ universe. Although the Christmas special is clearly a warming element for the fourth full-length film, these short pieces do indeed make people curious. Next time only a special with more quality, please, or just movies with Scrat.