--- title: "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/ice-age-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/ice-age-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs" critics_score: 50 critics_reviews: 12 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: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009): what the critics said Critics' score 50 from 12 reviews: 2 positive, 5 mixed, 5 negative. The reviews split almost evenly, and few critics are enthusiastic either way. Where they agree is on the animation, which most describe as technically assured, with the texture and depth of the dinosaur world drawing particular praise. Simon Pegg’s Buck is the most often cited virtue, credited with bringing some swashbuckling energy, and several critics pick out the Scrat sequences as the film’s most reliable laughs and its best use of 3D. The reservations cluster around story and comedy. Most find the plot thin and the central relationships tired, and more than one complains that the jokes lean on fart gags and pop-cultural references. The spread is wide: Den of Geek calls it solid, harmless entertainment, while The Hollywood Reporter finds it monotonous and dated beside its competition. The gentler verdicts come from critics judging it as a film for very young children; the harsher ones from those who expect it to hold anyone older. ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The critic is mildly positive, despite finding little story. They praise the imaginative animation and splendid pratfalls. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-ice-age-goes-3d-7415274.html) ## Empire — James Dyer Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 15 November 2007. Dyer finds the film pacey and enjoyable, though he says the franchise’s character relationships have grown tired. He singles out Simon Pegg’s Buck as a welcome source of swashbuckling energy. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ice-age-dawn-dinosaurs-review/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 3 July 2009. Bradshaw finds the film a pleasant, likable and safe choice for very young children, though some humor falls flat. He singles out one particularly good gag about Sid’s romantic prospects. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/jul/03/ice-age-dawn-of-dinosaurs-review) ## Screen Daily — Fionnuala Halligan Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 23 June 2009. The page identifies this as a review, but the critic’s verdict is not visible. The accessible text does not reveal what the critic praised or criticized. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/ice-age-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs/5002767.article) ## Radio Times — Andrew Collins Rating 3/5. Collins finds the film entertaining but says its story is thin. He praises Blue Sky Studios’ more subtle animation, especially its texture, scale and depth. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-qkhx2k/ice-age-3-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs/) ## Slant Magazine — Ryan Stewart Rating 2/4. 30 June 2009. Stewart finds the third entry lively in spots but ultimately unconvincing. He praises Simon Pegg’s swashbuckling Buck and the film’s visual spectacle, while criticizing the recurring comedy and the less animated central characters. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/ice-age-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs/) ## Time Out Rating 2/5. 29 June 2009. The review is negative, arguing that the film lacks even a brief flash of originality in its jokes. It singles out the reliance on fart gags and pop-cultural references as the central complaint. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ice-age-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs) ## Los Angeles Times — Betsy Sharkey Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 1 July 2009. Sharkey finds the film uneven and often sluggish, offering only mild entertainment despite some lively stretches. She praises the tropical dinosaur world, especially Buck and the Scrat-Scratte romance, but faults the film’s uninspired visuals and storytelling. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-jul-01-et-iceage1-story.html) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 1 July 2009. Phipps finds the film likely to bore anyone beyond its intended young audience. He praises the decent animation and voice cast but faults the series for abandoning its ice-age setting. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/ice-age-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs-1798206505) ## The Hollywood Reporter — The Associated Press Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 24 June 2009. The critic finds the sequel monotonous and lacking in creative life, charm, or inventiveness. They praise the technically assured animation and vivid 3D, but say the film feels dated beside its competition. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/ice-age-dawn-dinosaurs-film-93303/) ## Den of Geek — Steven Hurst Rating 3 out of 5. 29 June 2009. Hurst finds the film uneven but enjoyable, calling it solid, harmless entertainment that does little to advance the franchise. He praises Scrat as the series’ standout, while noting that the 3-D effects are inconsistently used. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/ice-age-3-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs-review/) ## Eye for Film — Donald Munro Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2009. Munro finds the film bland and below par, though still watchable for younger children. He particularly praises the Scrat sequences, which provide the most effective humor and use of 3D. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/ice-age-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs-film-review-by-donald-munro) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/ice-age-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs.md