---
title: "Ice Age: Continental Drift"
year: 2012
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/ice-age-continental-drift"
fi1m_id: "ice-age-continental-drift"
imdb_id: "tt1667889"
tmdb_id: 57800
wikidata_id: "Q35951"
fi1m_score: 53
critics_score: 52
critics_reviews: 16
published: "2026-10-05T12:27:48.675043+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T12:27:49.079522+00:00"
region: "PE"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)

Directed by Mike Thurmeier, Steve Martino · 1h 28m · Animation, Comedy, Adventure, Family

## Identity

Ice Age: Continental Drift

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/ice-age-continental-drift
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** ice-age-continental-drift
- **IMDb ID:** tt1667889
- **TMDB ID:** 57800
- **Wikidata ID:** Q35951
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667889/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/57800, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35951

**Fi1m score: 53** · Critics 52 from 16 reviews

*In a sentence:* The continents break apart and nobody on screen is half as worried about it as the squirrel

> The fourth Ice Age is bright, short and perfectly amiable, with Peter Dinklage’s pirate ape the one addition worth the trip. Everything else is the herd doing what the herd has done three times before, a little louder and at sea.

## Synopsis

Scrat the squirrel chases his acorn to the centre of the earth and cracks the single continent apart. Above ground, Manny the mammoth (Ray Romano) is arguing with his teenage daughter Peaches (Keke Palmer), who would rather be at the falls with the popular mammoths than at home with her father. Then the ground splits. Manny, Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo), Diego the sabre-toothed tiger (Denis Leary) and Sid’s cast-off Granny (Wanda Sykes) are swept out to sea on a slab of ice, while Ellie (Queen Latifah) leads Peaches and the herd towards a land bridge. On the open water the castaways are picked up by a pirate ship made of ice, captained by Gutt (Peter Dinklage), a giant ape who does not take passengers.

## Review

The fourth [*Ice Age*](https://film.one/film/ice-age) runs 88 minutes, has two directors, Mike Thurmeier and Steve Martino, twelve credited voices and one idea it did not have last time, which is pirates. It is bright, fast and good-natured, and it is also what the previous three films were with the furniture moved about. The verdict is easy to give. If you have children under ten you will get a quiet hour and a half; if you have not, you will get Peter Dinklage and a squirrel, and they are nearly enough.

The squirrel comes first, as he always does. Scrat chases his acorn down through the crust of the earth to the molten core, gives the planet a spin, and the single continent above him cracks and slides apart like plates on a pulled tablecloth. It is four minutes of wordless slapstick with John Powell’s orchestra doing all the talking, and we laughed out loud three times before anyone had said a word. Nothing in the next eighty minutes managed that, and we spent some of them waiting for him to come back.

The story, by Michael Berg and Lori Forte, with a screenplay by Berg and Jason Fuchs, splits the herd in two. Manny (Ray Romano), Sid (John Leguizamo), Diego (Denis Leary) and Sid’s Granny (Wanda Sykes) go to sea on an iceberg; Ellie (Queen Latifah) and the teenage Peaches (Keke Palmer) stay on land and walk. Editors James Palumbo and David Ian Salter cut between the two, and the pattern sets in early: every time we leave the water the film slows down. The land strand is a lesson about being yourself, taught to Peaches by everyone she meets, and Latifah is left with the lines that explain the lesson. Josh Gad’s Louis, a molehog who loves her and cannot say so, has the only sweet moment in it.

The sea is where the film earns its keep. Captain Gutt (Peter Dinklage) is a giant ape with a baritone, good manners and a ship built out of ice, and Dinklage plays him as someone who enjoys being a villain and sees no reason to hide it. He sings his introduction, Powell turns it into a proper shanty with brass and stamping, and for a few minutes the film has a pulse. Nick Frost voices Flynn, an elephant seal who is pleased by everything, and gets the biggest laughs among the new crew. Jennifer Lopez’s Shira, a sabre-toothed first mate who catches Diego’s eye, has the voice for the part and not much of a part.

Renato Falcão is credited with cinematography, which in an animated film means deciding where the camera sits and how the light falls, and his choices are the best thing about the look. He keeps the camera low on the water, so the swell comes up over the lens and the ice floes catch a hard blue-white glare, and the storm has real weight to it. The characters themselves have not changed since 2002, and against that sea they look like what they are, soft toys with faces. The film was built for 3D, and things fly at the lens accordingly; at home, flat, you notice how many shots exist only for that reason.

Granny is the other addition, and Sykes gets the sharpest lines in the script. Some of them land. A couple are cruder than the U certificate leads you to expect, in the way American family animation often is, and the running joke about her invisible pet is paid off in a manner we will not describe. By the midpoint we were bored, and we felt slightly ashamed of it, because the cinema around us was not. Children laugh at Sid falling over, and Sid falls over a great deal.

The first *Ice Age*, in 2002, had three animals, a baby and a walk home, and it was better for having so little. Each film since has added bodies, and this one has possums, pirates, a grandmother and a love interest for the tiger, all competing for 88 minutes. Thurmeier and Martino keep it moving, which is a skill, and it does not outstay a child’s attention. Ours wandered earlier.

See it on a wet afternoon with someone small, and watch the first four minutes yourself. Dinklage’s ape and the squirrel’s acorn are worth the price of the rest; whether the rest is worth sitting through is for the small person to say, and they will probably say yes.

*Fi1m score 53, published 5 October 2026.*

## Straight answers

**Is Ice Age: Continental Drift worth watching?**

*Ice Age: Continental Drift* is worth watching if you have children under ten to entertain, and not much otherwise; we scored it 53. It is bright, short and amiable, with Peter Dinklage's pirate ape and the opening Scrat sequence the only parts an adult will remember. The rest is the herd doing what it has done three times before.

**How long is Ice Age: Continental Drift, and what is it rated?**

*Ice Age: Continental Drift* runs 1h 28m. It is an animation and comedy film.

**Where can I watch Ice Age: Continental Drift in Peru?**

*Ice Age: Continental Drift* is streaming on Disney+ in Peru. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Ice Age: Continental Drift compare to Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs?**

*Ice Age: Continental Drift* and [*Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs*](https://film.one/film/ice-age-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs) are much the same film in different settings, one at sea and one underground, and neither has much left to give the grown-ups. Each is carried by a single new character, Peter Dinklage's Gutt here and Simon Pegg's Buck there, plus the Scrat interludes. The earlier film has the better colours; this one has the better villain and a shanty.

**Do you need to have seen the other Ice Age films before Ice Age: Continental Drift?**

*Ice Age: Continental Drift* can be watched without seeing the earlier films, since the plot is a sea voyage and a walk home and the characters explain themselves as they go. Newcomers will miss little beyond knowing who Manny, Sid and Diego are, which takes about a minute. The first film remains the better place to start, having three animals, a baby and far less noise.

**What should I watch after Ice Age: Continental Drift?**

After *Ice Age: Continental Drift*, try [*Ice Age*](https://film.one/film/ice-age) (2002, Fi1m 73): The original: three animals, one baby, a long walk, and better for having so little. Then [*Muppet Treasure Island*](https://film.one/film/muppet-treasure-island) (1996, Fi1m 73): Tim Curry sings on a ship full of felt; the pirate musical done properly; and [*Song of the Sea*](https://film.one/film/song-of-the-sea) (2014, Fi1m 82): An Irish seal story, hand-drawn and quiet, for when the children can sit still.

**What order should I watch the Ice Age films in?**

Release order is the safe choice for Ice Age, and it is the order [our collection page](https://film.one/collections/ice-age) lists them in. *Ice Age: Continental Drift* is number 4 of the 5 Ice Age titles on Fi1m; before it comes [*Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs*](https://film.one/film/ice-age-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs) and after it [*Ice Age: Collision Course*](https://film.one/film/ice-age-collision-course). [The full order.](https://film.one/collections/ice-age.md)

### Reviews we read (16)

- **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (68/100, inferred): Sharkey finds the fourth film an improvement over its predecessor and calls its likable characters consistently entertaining. She praises the lively pirate musical number and striking high-seas animation, while faulting the sluggish dialogue, preachiness and sappy ending. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2012-jul-12-la-et-mn-ice-age-continental-drift-20120713-story.html)
- **Screen Daily**, John Hazelton (64/100, inferred): This is a Screen review of the 2012 film, but the review text is unavailable in the page content. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be determined. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/ice-age-continental-drift/5043870.article)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The available page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It provides no basis for identifying anything praised or criticized. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/13/movies/review-ice-age-continental-drift-with-ray-romano.html)
- **The AV Club**, Sam Adams (C+): Sam Adams gives the film a negative review, calling it a stale, middling-franchise entry. He faults its recycled jokes and says the crowded voice cast leaves performers little room to stand out. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/ice-age-continental-drift-1798173449)
- **Radio Times**, Dave Aldridge (3/5): The critic finds this fourth instalment lacking the earlier films’ charm. They single out its reliance on frenetic pacing and spectacle as a weakness. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-qojbfr/ice-age-4-continental-drift/)
- **Time Out**, Derek Adams (3/5): The review finds the film’s family-friendly themes familiar and sometimes dreary. It singles out its treatment of friendship and loyalty as a weakness. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ice-age-4-continental-drift)
- **Total Film**, Paul Bradshaw (3/5): Bradshaw finds the film sufficiently wacky fun, though its ice feels thin. He praises Scrat as the returning character who still steals the show. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/ice-age-4-continental-drift-review/)
- **Empire**, Olly Richards (50/100, inferred): The critic finds the film no better or worse than its predecessors, though wishes it would try something different. The gentle humour and familiar characters are likely to delight children, but the familiar formula is the chief complaint. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ice-age-4-continental-drift-2-review/)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (48/100, inferred): Debruge finds the fourth installment amusing but derivative, with a thin story unlikely to engage older viewers. He praises the animation and character designs, and singles out several inspired comic moments featuring Scrat and Sid. [Read](https://variety.com/2012/film/reviews/ice-age-continental-drift-1117947834/)
- **The Guardian**, Philip French (40/100, inferred): French finds the main story conventional and overfamiliar, though he enjoys the film’s recurring Scrat sequences. He singles out Scrat’s disastrous acorn chase while complaining that the pirate characters have been done to death. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/jul/15/ice-age-continental-drift)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Megan Lehmann (40/100, inferred): Lehmann finds the film entertaining for children but overly familiar and unable to break new ground. She praises the vivid animation and Scrat’s wordless slapstick interludes. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/ice-age-continental-drift-ray-romano-341355/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Jaime N. Christley (0.5/4): Christley pans the film as dreary, repetitive, and aimed at an undemanding child audience. He singles out the crude reveal involving Sid’s Granny’s invisible friend as one of its occasional glimpses into the abyss. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/ice-age-continental-drift/)
- **Den of Geek**, Simon Brew (4/5): Brew calls it one of the franchise’s best entries and a thoroughly entertaining family blockbuster, despite familiar story beats and some weak material. He especially praises the ensemble comedy, Scrat’s appearances, and the film’s impressive animation and water effects. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/ice-age-4-continental-drift-review/)
- **The Playlist** (70/100, inferred): The URL headline suggests a mildly favorable, intentionally loose review. The inaccessible page prevents confirming its specific praise or complaints. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-ice-age-continental-drift-is-pleasurably-rudderless-20120711/)
- **Digital Spy**, Simon Reynolds (2/5): The critic finds the sequel visually impressive but tired, with weak jokes and little excitement beyond its 3D spectacle. He praises Scrat’s antics as the standout source of laughs. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a391039/ice-age-4-continental-drift-review/)
- **The Wrap** (10/100, inferred): The critic pans the film as dull, simplistic, and disposable. The disengaged voice performances—especially Queen Latifah’s—are singled out, while the Simpsons short earns praise. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/ice-age-4-review-flavorless-chunk-nothing-47306/)

## Details

- **Director:** Mike Thurmeier, Steve Martino
- **Director:** Mike Thurmeier, Steve Martino
- **Screenplay:** Michael Berg, Jason Fuchs
- **Story:** Michael Berg, Lori Forte
- **Cinematography:** Renato Falcão
- **Editor:** James Palumbo, David Ian Salter
- **Music:** John Powell
- **Producer:** John C. Donkin, Lori Forte, Patrick Worlock
- **Cast:** Ray Romano as Manny (voice); John Leguizamo as Sid (voice); Denis Leary as Diego (voice); Seann William Scott as Crash (voice); Josh Peck as Eddie (voice); Peter Dinklage as Captain Gutt (voice); Wanda Sykes as Granny (voice); Jennifer Lopez as Shira (voice)
- **Runtime:** 1h 28m
- **Release (Peru):** 28 June 2012
- **Genres:** Animation, Comedy, Adventure, Family
- **Part of:** [Ice Age](https://film.one/collections/ice-age.md) · 4 of 5
- **Budget:** $95 million
- **Box office:** $877 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDvtgm2REGI

## Where to watch in Peru

- Disney+: streaming, uhd

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Animated Movie 2013: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Animated Movie (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Ice Age* (2002), Fi1m 73: The original: three animals, one baby, a long walk, and better for having so little. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ice-age.md)
- *The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!* (2012): Aardman’s pirate comedy from the same year, with better jokes and a ham-loving captain.
- *Muppet Treasure Island* (1996), Fi1m 73: Tim Curry sings on a ship full of felt; the pirate musical done properly. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/muppet-treasure-island.md)
- *Ponyo* (2008): Miyazaki’s sea is alive and frightening and lovely, and nobody learns a lesson.
- *Song of the Sea* (2014), Fi1m 82: An Irish seal story, hand-drawn and quiet, for when the children can sit still. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/song-of-the-sea.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/ice-age-continental-drift