The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/3D Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
92
Studio and Year: 20th Century Fox - 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Feature running time: 88 minutes
Genre: Family
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: MVC/AVC
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio, English/French/Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Starring: Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Keke Palmer, Jennifer Lopez, Peter Dinklage
Directed by: Steve Martino & Michael Thurmeier
Music by: John Powell
Written by: Michael Berg & Jason Fuchs
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: December 11, 2012
"Nothing’s going to stand in our way"
Film Synopsis:
Manny (Ray Romano), Sid (John Leguizamo) and Diego (Denis Leary) go where no herd has gone before - on a high-seas quest aboard a floating iceberg. But a menagerie of misfit pirates are determined to shiver their timbers and capsize their journey home.
My Take:
Ice Age Continental Drift opens to find sub-zero heroes Manny, Diego and Sid still enjoying life two million years ago. Manny and wife Ellie are dealing with teenage daughter Peaches who has aspirations to fit in with the local teen crowd, who Manny doesn’t approve of. Sid the Sloth, has family problems very different from Manny’s. His long-lost clan – including his mom, dad, brother, and hygiene-challenged Uncle Fungus – have suddenly re-entered his life, and they have Sid’s aged Granny in tow. But the visiting Sloths have an agenda that makes the family reunion short-lived. Diego is still Diego and takes life and its experiences one day at a time.
When Scrat's acorn antics causes a cataclysmic crack-up, Manny, Diego, Sid and an unexpected stowaway are cast adrift from the rest of the herd, including Manny’s beloved family. While trying to find a way home they are captured by a band of pirates, led by the fearsome orangutan Captain Gutt, (voiced by Peter Dinklage). Captain Gutt is a self-styled king of the ocean and pirate of all pirates, that enjoys being a brigand and living by the strict code of the sea. Gutt and Manny don’t see eye to eye as he and his ragtag menagerie of seafaring pirates seek to prevent the guys from returning home. Among Gutt’s band of swashbucklers is first mate Shira (voiced by Jennifer Lopez) a female saber-toothed that presents a challenge for Diego, in more ways than one.
Meanwhile back home the cataclysm begun by Scrat continues to shake things up at everyone seeks to escape the perilous land shifts. Manny, Diego and Sid only get one shot at escaping their captors and it will take a little luck and the help of some new found friends.
Ice Age Continental Drift like previous films in the series features a solid cast, familial themes and an elementary plot that strikes the right chords. There are new characters, excellent production elements and charming moments but there is nothing here that we haven’t seen. Like it predecessors, it keeps things simple and builds upon the already established connection we have with its characters. I find the first film to be the best however I suspect that those that enjoyed Ice Age 2: The Meltdown and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs will appreciate this as well.
Parental Guide:
The rating is for mild rude humor. Action and peril.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
Audio: 92
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
3D Presentation: 92
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Ice Age: Continental Drift 3D comes to Blu-ray Disc from 20th Century Fox featuring 1080p MVC encoded video and lossless DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 4.6 Mbps.
Ice Age: Continental Drift is a native 3D film that positively translates to Blu-ray via this sparkling high definition presentation. Detail is well preserved as the image retains its high level of clarity as objects within the frame are delineated and sharp. Depth is appreciable as evidenced by the notable separation of objects and or characters within the frame which serves to create a discerning sense of virtual space occupied by things of various sizes and shapes. There are a variety of sequences that provide a fun reach out and touch sense of dimensionality. Captain Gutt’s introductory music number is a great example. Comparing color reproduction to the 2D presentation I saw no discernible difference. The rendering of detail, contrast and black levels is similar with both looking equally good. Ghosting/crosstalk was only noticeable in one or two instances against bright backgrounds and may be missed unless you’re looking for it. Ice Age: Continental Drift makes for an entertaining 3D film experience.
The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack makes for a rewarding home theater experience. This is a fairly active sound design that truly benefits from the higher resolution that lossless audio offers. Dynamics are noteworthy as the elements contained within the recording have definitive energy and potent impact. John Powell’s music score plays an integral role in this presentation and the entire surround platform is used to present the instrumental performance. Dialogue is crystalline with appreciable tonal inflection and non sibilant vocal character. The auditory is rich in clarity and detail which allows the subtle environmental sounds in the recording to easily be heard. The mix creates an immersive surround sound experience that achieves excellent balance which correlates nicely with the events transpiring onscreen. Low frequency effects are authoritative and tight and frequently engage the room with palpable low level bass. This isn’t an aggressive surround sound mix but it is an articulate one that makes for an involving listening experience that will give your audio system a workout.
2D Video Quality:
Video: 94
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Ice age: Continental Drift comes to Blu-ray Disc from Fox featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 23 Mbps.
This is a pristine and reference quality high definition presentation from Fox. The video quality is visually arresting in its depiction of the film’s animated subjects. Detail and definition is impeccably rendered as images have a luminous and sparkling clarity that is appreciably dimensional. Fine degrees of subtle delineation and texture are clearly discernible. The attention to detail in the construction of the animated characters physical features as well as objects within each frame is superb. Colors are richly saturated, vibrant and beautifully rendered. Primaries are particularly vivid and exhibit visibly delineated stages that bring out subtle degrees of separation. Contrast is spot on as blacks are rich with deep highlights, whites and grays exhibit multi-layered depth and refined detail that give them excellent dimension.
Bonus Features:
Final Thoughts:
Ice age: Continental Drift is the fourth installment in the Ice age film series. It features the same lovable characters, along with a few new ones, in a mildly entertaining and typically heartwarming story that the whole family can enjoy. It comes to Blu-ray Disc from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment in this three disc package that features top notch 3D and 2D high definition video presentations, engaging DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio surround sound and a fan friendly supplemental package that proves lots of fun. If you enjoy the other Ice age films this is easily worth checking out even if only for its technical merits on Blu-ray.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS55 3D Ready 1080p High Definition Front Projector
Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16x9 Screen
Onkyo PR-SC5508 THX Ultra 2 Audio/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-103 Universal Disc/3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Panasonic DMP-BDT310 3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
System Controller: Apple iPad/iRule Pro HD Universal Remote Control
Canton "Ergo" Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Wireworld, Better Cables (Silver Serpent) - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/3D Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
92
Studio and Year: 20th Century Fox - 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Feature running time: 88 minutes
Genre: Family
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: MVC/AVC
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio, English/French/Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Starring: Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Keke Palmer, Jennifer Lopez, Peter Dinklage
Directed by: Steve Martino & Michael Thurmeier
Music by: John Powell
Written by: Michael Berg & Jason Fuchs
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: December 11, 2012
"Nothing’s going to stand in our way"
Film Synopsis:
Manny (Ray Romano), Sid (John Leguizamo) and Diego (Denis Leary) go where no herd has gone before - on a high-seas quest aboard a floating iceberg. But a menagerie of misfit pirates are determined to shiver their timbers and capsize their journey home.
My Take:
Ice Age Continental Drift opens to find sub-zero heroes Manny, Diego and Sid still enjoying life two million years ago. Manny and wife Ellie are dealing with teenage daughter Peaches who has aspirations to fit in with the local teen crowd, who Manny doesn’t approve of. Sid the Sloth, has family problems very different from Manny’s. His long-lost clan – including his mom, dad, brother, and hygiene-challenged Uncle Fungus – have suddenly re-entered his life, and they have Sid’s aged Granny in tow. But the visiting Sloths have an agenda that makes the family reunion short-lived. Diego is still Diego and takes life and its experiences one day at a time.
When Scrat's acorn antics causes a cataclysmic crack-up, Manny, Diego, Sid and an unexpected stowaway are cast adrift from the rest of the herd, including Manny’s beloved family. While trying to find a way home they are captured by a band of pirates, led by the fearsome orangutan Captain Gutt, (voiced by Peter Dinklage). Captain Gutt is a self-styled king of the ocean and pirate of all pirates, that enjoys being a brigand and living by the strict code of the sea. Gutt and Manny don’t see eye to eye as he and his ragtag menagerie of seafaring pirates seek to prevent the guys from returning home. Among Gutt’s band of swashbucklers is first mate Shira (voiced by Jennifer Lopez) a female saber-toothed that presents a challenge for Diego, in more ways than one.
Meanwhile back home the cataclysm begun by Scrat continues to shake things up at everyone seeks to escape the perilous land shifts. Manny, Diego and Sid only get one shot at escaping their captors and it will take a little luck and the help of some new found friends.
Ice Age Continental Drift like previous films in the series features a solid cast, familial themes and an elementary plot that strikes the right chords. There are new characters, excellent production elements and charming moments but there is nothing here that we haven’t seen. Like it predecessors, it keeps things simple and builds upon the already established connection we have with its characters. I find the first film to be the best however I suspect that those that enjoyed Ice Age 2: The Meltdown and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs will appreciate this as well.
Parental Guide:
The rating is for mild rude humor. Action and peril.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
Audio: 92
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
- Dynamics:
- Low frequency extension:
- Surround Sound presentation:
- Clarity/Detail:
- Dialogue Reproduction:
3D Presentation: 92
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
- Depth (Onscreen):
- Dimension (Beyond the screen):
- Realism:
- Clarity/Detail:
- Color reproduction:
Ice Age: Continental Drift 3D comes to Blu-ray Disc from 20th Century Fox featuring 1080p MVC encoded video and lossless DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 4.6 Mbps.
Ice Age: Continental Drift is a native 3D film that positively translates to Blu-ray via this sparkling high definition presentation. Detail is well preserved as the image retains its high level of clarity as objects within the frame are delineated and sharp. Depth is appreciable as evidenced by the notable separation of objects and or characters within the frame which serves to create a discerning sense of virtual space occupied by things of various sizes and shapes. There are a variety of sequences that provide a fun reach out and touch sense of dimensionality. Captain Gutt’s introductory music number is a great example. Comparing color reproduction to the 2D presentation I saw no discernible difference. The rendering of detail, contrast and black levels is similar with both looking equally good. Ghosting/crosstalk was only noticeable in one or two instances against bright backgrounds and may be missed unless you’re looking for it. Ice Age: Continental Drift makes for an entertaining 3D film experience.
The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack makes for a rewarding home theater experience. This is a fairly active sound design that truly benefits from the higher resolution that lossless audio offers. Dynamics are noteworthy as the elements contained within the recording have definitive energy and potent impact. John Powell’s music score plays an integral role in this presentation and the entire surround platform is used to present the instrumental performance. Dialogue is crystalline with appreciable tonal inflection and non sibilant vocal character. The auditory is rich in clarity and detail which allows the subtle environmental sounds in the recording to easily be heard. The mix creates an immersive surround sound experience that achieves excellent balance which correlates nicely with the events transpiring onscreen. Low frequency effects are authoritative and tight and frequently engage the room with palpable low level bass. This isn’t an aggressive surround sound mix but it is an articulate one that makes for an involving listening experience that will give your audio system a workout.
2D Video Quality:
Video: 94
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
- Resolution/Clarity:
- Black level/Shadow detail:
- Color reproduction:
- Fleshtones:
- Compression:
Ice age: Continental Drift comes to Blu-ray Disc from Fox featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 23 Mbps.
This is a pristine and reference quality high definition presentation from Fox. The video quality is visually arresting in its depiction of the film’s animated subjects. Detail and definition is impeccably rendered as images have a luminous and sparkling clarity that is appreciably dimensional. Fine degrees of subtle delineation and texture are clearly discernible. The attention to detail in the construction of the animated characters physical features as well as objects within each frame is superb. Colors are richly saturated, vibrant and beautifully rendered. Primaries are particularly vivid and exhibit visibly delineated stages that bring out subtle degrees of separation. Contrast is spot on as blacks are rich with deep highlights, whites and grays exhibit multi-layered depth and refined detail that give them excellent dimension.
Bonus Features:
Disc 1:
- Ice Age: Continental Drift 3D Blu-ray
Disc 2:
- Ice Age: Continental Drift 2D (plus bonus features)
- Party with a pirate mode – Interactive in film experience
- Sign along mode (with interpretation by hearing impaired actors)
- (HD) Ice Age: The story so far – 9 minute overview of the film series
- (HD) Missing links – 2 deleted sequences (Shell game & Dr. Granny)
- (HD) Through a pirates spyglass (2 segments):
- Voices ahoy! – 11 minute featurette
- Capturing the crew – 14 minute featurette
- Voices ahoy! – 11 minute featurette
- (HD) Whale of a tale (3 segments):
- Drifts & rifts – 7 minute featurette
- Beasties – 8 minute featurette
- Myths – 8 minute featurette
- Drifts & rifts – 7 minute featurette
- (HD) Scrat got your tongue? – 7 minute short
- (HD) The Scratist – 2 minute short
- (HD) Shimmy shake music section – 4 tracks to get your groove on by
- (HD) Theatrical trailers
- (HD) BD-Live: Live Extras (Exclusive) Designing the Ice Age world
- Bonus DVD
- Digital Copy
- Ultraviolet Digital Copy
Final Thoughts:
Ice age: Continental Drift is the fourth installment in the Ice age film series. It features the same lovable characters, along with a few new ones, in a mildly entertaining and typically heartwarming story that the whole family can enjoy. It comes to Blu-ray Disc from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment in this three disc package that features top notch 3D and 2D high definition video presentations, engaging DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio surround sound and a fan friendly supplemental package that proves lots of fun. If you enjoy the other Ice age films this is easily worth checking out even if only for its technical merits on Blu-ray.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS55 3D Ready 1080p High Definition Front Projector
Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16x9 Screen
Onkyo PR-SC5508 THX Ultra 2 Audio/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-103 Universal Disc/3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Panasonic DMP-BDT310 3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
System Controller: Apple iPad/iRule Pro HD Universal Remote Control
Canton "Ergo" Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Wireworld, Better Cables (Silver Serpent) - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package