--- title: "Ice Age: The Meltdown: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/ice-age-the-meltdown/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/ice-age-the-meltdown" critics_score: 61 critics_reviews: 9 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): what the critics said Critics' score 61 from 9 reviews: 1 positive, 7 mixed, 1 negative. 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. ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 March 2006. 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 the review](https://variety.com/2006/film/awards/ice-age-the-meltdown-1200517311/) ## Empire — Caroline Westbrook Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 30 March 2006. 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 the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ice-age-2-meltdown-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Michael Wilmington Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2006. 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 the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-mar-31-et-ice31-story.html) ## The Guardian — Rob Mackie Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 20 October 2006. 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 the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/oct/20/dvdreviews.animation) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be confirmed. No specific praise or complaint is available in the provided text. [Read the review](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 Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 4 April 2006. 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 the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ice-age-2-the-meltdown) ## The AV Club — Tasha Robinson Rating C. 29 March 2006. 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 the review](https://www.avclub.com/ice-age-the-meltdown-1798201751) ## The Skinny — Keir Hind Rating ★★★. 16 May 2006. 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 the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/ice-age-the-meltdown) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2006. 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 the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/ice-age-2-the-meltdown-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) --- © 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-the-meltdown.md