Okay, so to start off my review, I will say that almost everything in the movie was mediocre. The CGI effects were great, but the plot and jokes were somewhat tired and was a clear sign that Ice Age was losing its creativity. The first part of the movie was rather cute but boring and nothing really interesting started to happen until we meet Buck. Buck is the one reason I gave this movie 4 stars. He was absolutely hilarious and was easily the best character in the movie. While most of the other voice actors didn't seem particularly thrilled with the movie Simon Pegg (who voices Buck) actually seemed to be getting into character and provided the energy that the show was lacking. Without Buck, the movie would have been completely mediorce and I would probably have forgotten about it the next day (by the way, Scrat was funny as well but after three movies of his antics even his jokes get tired). Finally, there are quite a few sex jokes in this movie, usually made by either Sid or Buck. Most of them will probably fly right over kids heads but don't be suprised if they start asking questions after the movie.
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Action-driven 3-D sequel is an icy treat for young kids.
Themes in this movie include: family relationships, friendship
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 6 and Up
The good stuff
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Educational value:
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Role models:
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
Parents need to know that the third installment in the Ice Agefranchise is likely to appeal to kids (even the preschool set) as much as the first two. Thatsaid, it's the first one in 3-D, so some scenes -- especially the ones featuring dinosaurs -- may be a bit more intense. There's lots of cartoonish violence, mostly involving Scrat and his new female friend (they also flirt and kiss, which is the extent of the movie's romance). Language is mild, but there's some scatological humor *"barf" and "poop"), as well as suspense concerning the main characters' ability to get out of harm's way.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Famiies can talk about the movie's central message about having an unconventional herd/family. What defines a family? And should it matter what a person looks like in order to be their friend?
- Families can also discuss how the violence compares to that of other movies meant for young kids. Was the 3-D too intense?
- Also, how did some of the characters act differently than you expected, like the weasel Buck and the mama dinosaur? And even Ellie, though she's pregnant, is no weakling. How does her character portray females?
Have you seen it? Review It!
More on Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
What’s the Story?
The prehistoric pals from the first two Ice Age movies are back, and now their inter-species herd is about to grow. Wooly mammoth Ellie (voiced by Queen Latifah) is expecting a baby, turning partner Manny (Ray Romano) into an overprotective, nervous father-to-be. Meanwhile, saber-toothed tiger Diego (Denis Leary) realizes that he's lost his edge when he can't even capture easy prey and decides to leave the overly domesticated herd. And Sid (John Leguizamo), who's worried he won't belong when the baby arrives, takes matters into his own hands and swipes three eggs he finds under the ice. The triplets turn out to be baby T-rexes -- who have an understandably angry mama. The gang must band together to save Sid from the clutches of the underground dinosaur world that thrives just below their own icy surface.
Is It Any Good?
Story-wise, ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS is less compelling than its predecessors. While the first two were humorous character studies of unlikely prehistoric friends, the "threequel" is much more about the action. Audiences already know how the main characters interact, so the focus shifts to the dangerous search for Sid and the obstacles that Manny, Diego, Ellie, and her nitwit twin "brothers" (Josh Peck, Seann William Scott) face. This works fine for the movie's 3-D scenes, but in the process the movie loses a tiny bit of the franchise's humor and heart.
The only memorable new additions are Buck (British comic actor Simon Pegg), a hermitic warrior weasel who guides the crew to Sid, and the three dinosaur babies, who can't play well with their Ice Age friends (a playground scene hilariously turns into an unlikely feast as the triplets swallow their new playmates). And arguably the best new character doesn't utter a single word: Scrat's love interest, Scratte, a winged female creature who desires that elusive acorn just as much as her beloved. Scrat and that acorn are the perfect animated example of physical comedy, and their scenes alone are worth a trip to the multiplex.
Movie Details
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox, Director: Carlos Saldanha
Run time: 87 minutes
Theatrical release: 7/1/2009, DVD release: 10/27/2009
MPAA Rating: PG for mild rude humor and peril
Run time: 87 minutes
Theatrical release: 7/1/2009, DVD release: 10/27/2009
MPAA Rating: PG for mild rude humor and peril
Our Members Say
See all 71 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Buck redeems this otherwise mediocre movie
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
This movie is a cute thing to watch with ur child. My 3 year old son and I watched this movie 2gether. He luvs Sid and what can I say? Who doesn't? U will laugh a lot at this creative movie. So watch it. It is totally worth the watch!
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I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
not as good, but still a good movie
the ice age franchise continues to entertain me... this one is no exception, but it is slightly less than the others... each movie steps down a notch in this way... i was highly anticipating this but when i saw it it just wasn't.... SCRAT IS AMAZINK still a great movie... some weird comments and a little scary... i was hoping Rudy to be a LOT more menacing and a LOT more scary, but that's just me. kids will dig it.
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
Pretty Bad for older kids, but cute for 6 to 10 year olds...
There are some light sexual jokes here and there, but kids won't get it. The beginning is boring, but it's short and little kids will probably like it. I personally thought it was pretty bad, so older kids will not like it, adults who like cute boring movies will like it though. You should probably see "Up" or "Wall-e" instead. (Just for the record, I hated Wall-e, but it seems everyone likes it, so that's why I said that.)
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- My highlights are:
This movie get edgy at times, but it's still okay for little kids. In one scene, Buck says a gay joke, but kids won't get it.
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
fine if they already know the birds and bees
my only concern with this movie was the discussion of giving birth and contractions. my daughter is young enough that those words dont mean anything yet. but in kids a little older it might raise questions you werent ready for yet.
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I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
Good for kids about 10 or 11. I guess it's fine.
I saw this movie as I was 11. It is not really bad but I just put educational because it talks about they are going to have a baby and and then kids would probly go home and ask their parents where does a baby come from?.
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I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
Good for kids about 10 or 11. I guess it's fine.
I saw this movie as I was 11. It is not really bad but I just put educational because it talks about they are going to have a baby and and then kids would probly go home and ask their parents where does a baby come from?.
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I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
Good for kids about 10 or 11. I guess it's fine.
I saw this movie as I was 11. It is not really bad but I just put educational because it talks about they are going to have a baby and and then kids would probly go home and ask their parents where does a baby come from?.
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
an ok movie for young kids.
i just watched this movie tonight and i thought it was pritty good but some parts were rather boring and seemed like they ought to be watched by a little bit of a younger audience. There some scary scenes of brief peril and vilonce and very brief (will prbably go over young kids heads) sexy humor. I would give this a 3 out of 5 stars and recomend it to kids ages 6 (maybe 5 or 4 if they are mature enough. but never 3 or under) to 11 and maybe 12.
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
good for younger kids
just watched it tonight. wasnt entertaining for me, but my little bros (3&6) couldnt keep thier eyes off the TV!
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
good for younger kids
just watched it tonight. wasnt entertaining for me, but my little bros (3&6) couldnt keep thier eyes off the TV!
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
We loved it!
This was our family's favorite Ice Age movie by far. super cute!
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
Funny and awesome
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Lives in Alabama -
I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Ice is Nice!
This is an entertaining and harmless family film, that a range of ages can enjoy together. There is some nice messaging about family and loyalty. A perfect weekend rental, or addition to a kid's DVD library. See me review it with my son on YouTube: "Gab and Max review Ice Age 3"!
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
CUTE!
cute cute cute! my husband and i loved this movie and so did the children in the audience who were practically repeating the entire movie during and on the way out of the theatre. it wasnt as good as the first or second but i fall for movies with new familes!
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Ice Age 3 is hilarious, fun for the whole family and is even better than the first!!!
I saw this movie on the Fourth of July and it was hilarious, great fun for the whole whole family,and it is even better than the last two Ice Age films.This movie also has amazing animation , and it is even ( kind of) better than I thought. This movie is also in 3-D and if you don't see it in theaters or in 3-D you can rent it on DVD Tuesday, October 27th, 2009! I really recommend this movie for kids who have seen and/ or love the first two Ice Age films or for kids 6+.Thanks for reading my review on this really funny and fun film for the that is even better than the first two films and if you see it in theaters,or on DVD October 27th. I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I did.
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
Good for the whole Family
All my kids liked it. It's a fun movie.
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
My 3 years old loved it.
My 3 years old was laughing out loud since the movie started, we went to watch it twice because she loved it and lets face it there are not a lot of movies for young kids. Rex was a little scary for her though. The squirrels flirt a lot but there is nothing a kid shouldn't see.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 46% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 39% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 27% | of parents say it's too violent |
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