by Jim Kuipers

Staff Writer

In the tradition of animated movies like ``Aladdin,'' ``Toy Story'' and ``Shrek,'' the latest film from Fox Animation Studios entertains the kids without boring the parents. ``Ice Age'' tells a heartwarming story featuring creatures of the prehistoric era such as a mammoth, a saber-toothed squirrel, a sloth, and a saber-toothed tiger, as these four misfits band together to return a human infant to his family.

While all the animals head south for the winter, Manfred the mammoth (voiced by Ray Romano) has no herd, but gains an unlikely travelling companion in Sid the talkative but slightly dim-witted sloth (John Leguizamo). The pair discovers a human mother who, pursued by saber-toothed tigers, gives her baby into Sid and Manny's care. Sid insists that they follow the humans to return the baby, and Manny reluctantly agrees.

They soon acquire a third, even more unlikely companion: Diego, a saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary). Diego offers to track the humans for the group, but secretly he seeks the child for more carnivorous purposes. To safely return the child, Sid and Manny must overcome not only the hardships of nature, but also their mistrust of Diego.

When the tension gets too high, the movie interjects its running side plot: Scrat, a squirrel-like creature, whose efforts to protect and bury his precious acorn are constantly thwarted. This little guy pops up every now and then, squawking and shrieking as glaciers, mammoths and storms conspire to deprive him of his most prized possession.

The story is lighthearted for the most part, if somewhat predictable. Adults will enjoy ``Ice Age,'' but it is a children's movie at heart. In that way, it is unlike ``Shrek,'' which was aimed at adults. Much of the humor in ``Ice Age'' might appeal to parents watching with their children more than to the average college student. However the movie does have a good balance of slapstick and more intelligent humor (such as references to natural selection), which should amuse anyone.

The overall look of ``Ice Age'' is very appealing. The animation is less concerned with exquisite detail than with textures and lighting. The result is a style that often resembles stop-motion clay animation. The animals and landscapes have a truly three-dimensional appearance, and rivers exhibit very life-like motion and reflections. The animation has difficulty with the human face, which has an unnaturally smooth, waxy look, but this is its only shortcoming.

Performance might seem an inappropriate term for an animated movie, but it's one of the strengths of ``Ice Age.'' For starters, the vocal talents of Romano, Leguizamo and Leary serve the characters well. But the animated animals themselves perform as perhaps no animated characters have before. ``Ice Age'' features an amazingly expressive cast of prehistoric critters. From Sid's fish-eyed grin to Scrat's joyous outburst at retrieving (momentarily) his beloved acorn, the postures, gestures and facial expressions of all the characters seem to convey genuine emotion. One really gets the feeling that one is watching actors, rather than animated drawings.

For more detail on the animation of ``Ice Age,'' one can visit the film's website at www.iceagemovie.com. It is as elaborate and interactive a site as you're likely to find, offering background on the story, characters and animation process, as well as a game based on the movie. Be sure you turn on the sound (or, depending on your perspective, be sure to turn it off).

It's not really adult fare, but ``Ice Age'' should be perfect for anyone with young cousins, nieces or nephews. I doubt anyone, child or adult, will be rolling in the aisles, but it is nonetheless a warm, colorful tale that should entertain all ages.