Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
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A herd of prehistoric animals must journey into a hidden subterranean world to rescue a kidnapped sloth and his new dinosaur offspring.
The story
Twenty-two months after the events of the second film, Ellie is pregnant, making Manny desperate to make life safe for both her and their upcoming child. However, Manny's desperation alienates Diego, who contemplates leaving the herd. Meanwhile, Sid becomes anxious about being abandoned and decides to adopt three apparently abandoned eggs he finds underground. When the eggs hatch into baby Tyrannosaurus, their rambunctious behavior angers Manny. The mother Tyrannosaurus arrives and carries Sid and her children underground into a vast subterranean lost world populated by dinosaurs. The group must navigate this dangerous jungle to rescue Sid.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Twenty-two months after the second film, Manny and Ellie are preparing for their baby. Manny's protective nature alienates Diego, while Sid, fearing abandonment, adopts three eggs that hatch into baby Tyrannosaurus. The mother Tyrannosaurus eventually kidnaps Sid and the babies, leading Manny, Ellie, Diego, and the possums into a subterranean lost world. They are saved by Buck, a one-eyed weasel, who leads them toward Lava Falls. During the journey, the mother Tyrannosaurus begins to grow attached to Sid. A rock slide separates Ellie from the group; Diego stays to support her through labor while Buck and the possums rescue Sid from a river of lava. Manny reaches Ellie just as she gives birth to a daughter named Peaches. Before leaving, the group is saved by the mother Tyrannosaurus from a monstrous albino Baryonyx named Rudy. Sid says goodbye to the dinosaurs, and Buck decides to stay underground to hunt Rudy, while the rest of the herd returns to the surface.
- First release year
- 2009
- Runtime (minutes)
- 94
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Carlos Saldanha
- Writers
- Michael Berg · screenplay; Peter Ackerman · screenplay; Mike Reiss · screenplay; Yoni Brenner · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Ray Romano · Manny; John Leguizamo · Sid; Denis Leary · Diego; Simon Pegg · Buck; Seann William Scott · Crash; Josh Peck · Eddie; Queen Latifah · Ellie; Tara Strong · Peaches
- Genres
- animated; adventure; comedy
- Themes
- Fatherhood; Family; Adoption
- Tone and mood
- Adventure; Comedy; Heartfelt
- Premise and plot tags
- Sequel; Road Movie; Fantasy; Animal Adventure
- Franchise connections
- Ice Age
- Reception
- The film initially received mixed reviews from critics due to its story, but it was a major box office success, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of 2009. Retrospective reviews have since praised it as the best sequel in the franchise, highlighting its animation and the introduction of the character Buck.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 50 · scale: 100 · review count: 25; TheScoreCard · score: 3 · scale: 10
- Awards and nominations
- Visual Effects Society Awards · Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture · 8th · Nominated; Visual Effects Society Awards · Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture · 8th · Nominated; Saturn Awards · Best Animated Film · 36th · Nominated; Annie Awards · Best Music in a Feature Production · 37th · Nominated; Annie Awards · Best Voice Acting in a Feature Production · 37th · Nominated; Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards · Favorite Animated Movie · Nominated; Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards · Favorite Voice From an Animated Movie · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The 'lost world' approach led to colorful dinosaurs because the designers felt they didn't have to be just brown.; Rudy's design was inspired by the Baryonyx because of its crocodile-like look.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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