---
title: "Ice Age: The Meltdown"
year: 2006
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/ice-age-the-meltdown"
fi1m_id: "ice-age-the-meltdown"
imdb_id: "tt0438097"
tmdb_id: 950
wikidata_id: "Q190910"
fi1m_score: 61
critics_score: 61
critics_reviews: 9
published: "2026-10-05T04:10:38.673400+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T04:10:38.920159+00:00"
region: "IN"
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: The Meltdown (2006)

Directed by Carlos Saldanha · 1h 31m · Animation, Family, Comedy, Adventure

## Identity

Ice Age: The Meltdown

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/ice-age-the-meltdown
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** ice-age-the-meltdown
- **IMDb ID:** tt0438097
- **TMDB ID:** 950
- **Wikidata ID:** Q190910
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0438097/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/950, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190910

**Fi1m score: 61** · Critics 61 from 9 reviews

*In a sentence:* A squirrel chasing an acorn makes a persuasive case against giving everyone else so much dialogue

> Carlos Saldanha’s animated sequel has enough good slapstick to keep children amused, but its scattered story makes the quieter stretches feel like waiting. Scrat remains the chief attraction; the talking animals have less to say.

## Synopsis

Manny (Ray Romano), Sid (John Leguizamo) and Diego (Denis Leary) return for another animated adventure. Ellie (Queen Latifah), Crash (Seann William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck) are also among the animals, alongside Fast Tony (Jay Leno) and the Lone Gunslinger Vulture (Will Arnett). Scrat (Chris Wedge), meanwhile, has an acorn to pursue. His efforts lead from one physical mishap to another in a separate strand of slapstick. The film moves between the group’s exchanges and Scrat’s persistent attempts to get what he wants.

## Review

Carlos Saldanha’s *Ice Age: The Meltdown* is a serviceable family comedy with a squirrel who keeps threatening to make the rest of the cast unnecessary. We would consider it for children who enjoy animal slapstick, with modest expectations for the accompanying adults. There is pleasure in the voices and in the animation’s cheerful energy. The trouble is how little the story does to carry us from one joke to the next. Even at 91 minutes, the stretches between Scrat’s appearances can feel longer than they should.

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo and Denis Leary give Manny, Sid and Diego an easy familiarity, though the dialogue does not always repay their efforts. John Leguizamo is particularly useful: his delivery can keep Sid amusing when the writing has little new for him. The group sounds comfortable together, which is a real advantage in a film built around banter. Their exchanges remain amiable even when there is no particularly good joke to deliver.

Queen Latifah gives Ellie some welcome personality, and the role offers her more to work with than another round of familiar squabbling. Her contribution helps broaden the comedy without making the film feel crowded. Gerry Swallow, Peter Gaulke and Jim Hecht’s screenplay is less successful at connecting its episodes. We can enjoy a character’s company for a scene and still struggle to care where the group is going.

Scrat, voiced by Chris Wedge, benefits from wanting something we can understand immediately: an acorn. We laughed at the disproportionate effort he puts into getting it, and at how each physical setback leaves the same small ambition intact. Those interludes give the animators something definite to work towards, with movement carrying the joke. They also provide a welcome change from the ensemble’s conversations, allowing the physical comedy time to develop without further explanation.

The animation is bright and appealing, with Craig Anthony Grasso’s cinematography keeping the physical comedy readable. Marcin Jakubowski’s production design gives the animals surroundings that remain attractive even when the narrative stalls. It is easy to enjoy watching these characters move, and the visual energy helps cover some slack writing. Yet the supposed danger rarely feels persuasive enough to make us concerned for the animals, however confidently the action is presented.

Harry Hitner’s editing is more convincing within the individual comic passages than in the film’s broader progression. The succession of episodes keeps offering fresh starts when we want the adventure to gather some momentum. John Powell and Will Edwards’s music helps maintain the bustle, though it cannot make the threat feel more substantial. The film stays busy, but the frequent changes of focus make it difficult to become absorbed in the group’s predicament.

Family animation does not need a complicated plot, but it does need a reason for everyone to be travelling through the same story. This sequel too often lets a workable comic ensemble drift between attractions, leaving Scrat with the clearest purpose. There are enough laughs here for children drawn to slapstick, though adults may find their patience tested between them. Choose it for the physical gags, and do not expect the conversations to improve on them.

*Fi1m score 61, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics regard Ice Age: The Meltdown as a pleasant but unremarkable sequel, with enough comedy to entertain children and some amusement for adults. Praise clusters around the animation and Scrat’s acorn-chasing interludes, which repeatedly emerge as a stronger attraction than the main story. The returning voice cast also earns approval, though the reviews find less invention and less memorable material than in the original.

The reservations centre on weak plotting and a sense that the separate comic routines do not quite form a coherent film. Most assessments sit close together in qualified approval, with differences largely about how much the gags compensate for the story. The AV Club finds the structure thin but singles out the vultures’ musical number for praise. Eye for Film is markedly less persuaded, arguing that the disjointed plot and lack of a credible threat leave the sequel disappointing despite occasional entertainment.

## Straight answers

**Is Ice Age: The Meltdown worth watching?**

*Ice Age: The Meltdown* is worth considering for children who enjoy animal slapstick, though our score of 61 reflects its scattered story and weaker dialogue. We find Scrat’s acorn pursuit the chief attraction; adults may find the stretches between his physical mishaps rather slow, despite the appealing animation and amiable voice cast.

**How long is Ice Age: The Meltdown, and what is it rated?**

*Ice Age: The Meltdown* runs 1h 31m. It is an animation and family film.

**Where can I watch Ice Age: The Meltdown in India?**

*Ice Age: The Meltdown* is streaming on Hotstar in India. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Ice Age: The Meltdown compare to Ice Age?**

*Ice Age: The Meltdown* is less briskly told than [*Ice Age*](https://film.one/film/ice-age), and we prefer the earlier film for keeping its familiar story moving. Both get their funniest business from Scrat’s acorn pursuit, but the sequel’s scattered episodes make it a weaker choice for adults, even if children chiefly interested in physical comedy still find enough to enjoy.

**What should I watch after Ice Age: The Meltdown?**

After *Ice Age: The Meltdown*, try [*Ice Age*](https://film.one/film/ice-age) (2002, Fi1m 73): The familiar voices get a firmer story, with room for Scrat’s interruptions. Then [*The General*](https://film.one/film/the-general) (1926, Fi1m 91): For physical comedy whose clear objectives make every mishap worth following; and [*Ernest & Celestine*](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine) (2012, Fi1m 84): Another unlikely animal friendship, handled with warmth and a lighter touch.

### Reviews we read (9)

- **Variety**, Todd McCarthy (70/100, inferred): McCarthy calls the sequel an entirely serviceable follow-up that should entertain children and amuse parents. He praises its vibrant CGI, the returning voice cast’s sly performances, and Scrat’s comic misadventures. [Read](https://variety.com/2006/film/awards/ice-age-the-meltdown-1200517311/)
- **Empire**, Caroline Westbrook (65/100, inferred): Westbrook finds it a decent, charming sequel, though its story is weaker than the original. She praises the superb animation and Scrat’s increasingly hilarious acorn quest. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ice-age-2-meltdown-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Michael Wilmington (65/100, inferred): Wilmington considers the sequel a good movie, especially for children, but says its premise weakens the humor and makes it feel more like an anonymous franchise film. He praises Scrat’s acorn-chasing gags and John Leguizamo’s voice performance, while noting that the banter is weaker than in the original. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-mar-31-et-ice31-story.html)
- **The Guardian**, Rob Mackie (65/100, inferred): Mackie finds the sequel jolly, but less inventive and memorable than its predecessor. He praises Scrat’s comic interludes and Queen Latifah’s better-written role. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/oct/20/dvdreviews.animation)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be confirmed. No specific praise or complaint is available in the provided text. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/movies/looking-for-love-despite-the-melting-ice-in-ice-age-the-meltdown.html)
- **Time Out**, Derek Adams (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as a review, but the critic’s verdict cannot be established from the available text. The truncated standfirst mentions Roadrunner cartoons and computer-animated works, without revealing what the critic singles out about this film. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ice-age-2-the-meltdown)
- **The AV Club**, Tasha Robinson (C): Robinson finds the sequel thinly plotted and more like a collection of animated shorts than a coherent movie. She praises the vultures’ choreographed performance of “Food, Glorious Food” as a memorable highlight. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/ice-age-the-meltdown-1798201751)
- **The Skinny**, Keir Hind (★★★): Hind finds the sequel pleasant and funny but ultimately lacking the kick to feel special. He praises the squirrel’s physical comedy as its main set piece. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/ice-age-the-meltdown)
- **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (30/100, inferred): Wilkinson finds the sequel entertaining in spots but ultimately disappointing and less cool than it should be. She particularly faults its disjointed plot and the lack of a credible threat. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/ice-age-2-the-meltdown-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)

## Details

- **Director:** Carlos Saldanha
- **Director:** Carlos Saldanha
- **Screenplay:** Jim Hecht, Gerry Swallow, Peter Gaulke
- **Story:** Gerry Swallow, Peter Gaulke
- **Cinematography:** Craig Anthony Grasso
- **Editor:** Harry Hitner
- **Music:** John Powell, Will Edwards
- **Production design:** Marcin Jakubowski
- **Producer:** Lori Forte, Patrick Worlock
- **Cast:** Ray Romano as Manny (voice); John Leguizamo as Sid (voice); Denis Leary as Diego (voice); Queen Latifah as Ellie (voice); Seann William Scott as Crash (voice); Josh Peck as Eddie (voice); Jay Leno as Fast Tony (voice); Will Arnett as Lone Gunslinger Vulture (voice)
- **Runtime:** 1h 31m
- **Release (India):** 21 April 2006
- **Genres:** Animation, Family, Comedy, Adventure
- **Part of:** [Ice Age](https://film.one/collections/ice-age.md) · 2 of 2
- **Budget:** $80 million
- **Box office:** $661 million

## Where to watch in India

- Hotstar: streaming

*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, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, 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 2007: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Animated Movie (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Ice Age* (2002), Fi1m 73: The familiar voices get a firmer story, with room for Scrat’s interruptions. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ice-age.md)
- *The General* (1926), Fi1m 91: For physical comedy whose clear objectives make every mishap worth following. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-general.md)
- *A Town Called Panic* (2009): Small creatures cause enormous trouble, with rather less interest in sensible behaviour.
- *Ernest & Celestine* (2012), Fi1m 84: Another unlikely animal friendship, handled with warmth and a lighter touch. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine.md)
- *Shaun the Sheep Movie* (2015), Fi1m 80: Wordless animal slapstick with a story that gives the jokes somewhere to go. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/shaun-the-sheep-movie.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-the-meltdown