The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild is the sixth and latest installment in the Ice Age franchise. It is also the first film to be released under the series new ownership under the Walt Disney Company.
The film was originally pitched as a television series by 20th Century Fox CEO Stacey Snider back in 2018. After Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century, the project was confirmed to still be in development. However, the series was eventually repurposed as a movie for Disney+ which is the film we have today.
The film features Buck Wild, a character that was previously introduced in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Ice Age: Continental Drift the series played by Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead). However, this time around he is being featured in his own standalone Ice Age adventure.
The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild Synopsis
“The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild” continues the hilarious escapades of the sub-zero heroes as they create more prehistoric pandemonium. Eager for a little independence, the thrill-seeking possum brothers Crash and Eddie set out to find a place of their own but soon find themselves trapped beneath the ice in a massive cave inhabited by dinosaurs. They are rescued by the one-eyed, adventure-loving weasel Buck Wild, and together, with the help of some new friends, embark on a mission to save the Lost World from dinosaur domination.
One of the film’s first problems is the fact that not a single person from the original films, aside from Pegg, reprised their roles in this film. This oftentimes leads to some of the original character’s portrayals coming off as offputting or distracting.
Another issue with the film is the fact that it is supposed to be a film centered around Pegg’s character Buck Wild. However, the main focus was really centered around Crash and Eddie, two twin-brother opossums from the original films. The film centers around the two coming out of their shells in an attempt to become independent of their friends. Buck feels much more like a supporting mentor character than the main character of the film.
The animation quality also seems to have taken a dip in quality since the previous film. The animation feels that of a low-budget Dreamworks show produced for Netflix not that of a film from 20th Century Animation and Disney. Perhaps it would have been best if this had stayed as a series for Disney+.
One thing that this film really has going for it is the relationship between Buck and a new character to the franchise, Zee. The backstory between the two was actually really interesting and it was fun to see their relationship develop throughout the film.
There were a few fun moments throughout the film; however, those moments were few and far between as the film felt mostly bland and uninspired. After watching this film I was left wondering if this was something that truly needed to be made.
Overall, unless you are a massive fan of the Ice Age films I would not suggest this film to anyone unless you need something to put on to distract your kids for an hour and a half. The film feels incredibly unnecessary and was likely just leftover material from the Disney/Fox merger.
The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild releases on Disney+ January 28th and stars Simon Pegg as Buck, Vincent Tong as Crash, Aaron Harris as Eddie, Utkarsh Ambudkar as Orson, Justina Machado as Zee, Sean Kenin as Manny, Jake Green as Sid, Skyler Stone as Diego, and Dominique Jennings as Ellie.
What are your thoughts on The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild? Do you plan to check out the film on Disney+? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow The Illuminerdi on social media to be notified of more news and updates like this in the future!
KEEP READING: TEASER TRAILER FOR GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO HAS ARRIVED
