Like the previous three films in the popular animated franchise that has delighted youngsters everywhere, ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT retains its central theme of the importance of family in a brand new colourful, happy adventure. Sid the goofy, buck-toothed Sloth (John Leguizamo) remains my favourite character; he believes there is a rainbow around every corner and that bad news is actually good news in disguise. Not one nasty thought crosses his uncluttered mind and watching his flexible body contort and flop is amusing in itself.

The earth has been shaken to its very core by Scrat (Chris Wedge), the long-snouted, fluffy-tailed squirrel rat, whose adventurous pursuits chasing his prized acorn, makes the continents split and the ice to separate. Adrift on an iceberg which they use as a ship, Sid, Diego the sookie, saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary) and Manny the Mammoth (Ray Romano) who is separated from his family, literally run into Captain Gutt's ice pirate ship and his motley crew.

The film offers non stop frivolity and fun coupled with endearing side-plots including Diego discovering love in the attractive form of J-Lo's white kitty-kat tiger Shira and a budding romance with teenage Mammoth Peaches (Keke Palmer). The scene in which Sid performs a ridiculous dance to try and entice an army of little guinea-pigs to help them conquer the pirates is very funny, and I like the storyline involving the little mole hog called Louis, endearingly portrayed by Josh Gad, star of the Broadway hit “The Book of Morman”.

The sequences involving the sirens, who morph to embody their prey's desires, are comical and wonderfully executed. The voice cast including Seann William Scott, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Rebel Wilson (as a prehistoric kangaroo), is first rate as is the use of music.
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