Ice Age (2002)

Ice Age (2002) is an animated adventure comedy produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film follows a herd of prehistoric animals as they migrate south to escape an impending ice age. Sid, a clumsy ground sloth, is accidentally left behind and tries to catch up with the herd on his own. Unfortunately, he interrupts a meal of two brontotheres and is nearly attacked. Lucky for Sid, he is saved by Manny, a cynical woolly mammoth who chose not to migrate. Although Manny prefers solitude, Sid insists on tagging along and constantly tests his patience with his outgoing personality. Meanwhile, prior to these events, half of a Smilodon pack was killed by a human tribe for their pelts. Seeking revenge, the leader Soto plans to personally kill Roshan, the infant son of the tribe’s chief. His second-in-command Diego is given the task of bringing Roshan back alive but fails when Roshan’s mother leaps over a waterfall with her son in tow. As punishment for his failure, Soto orders Diego to retrieve Roshan at all costs or face his own demise in place of the baby.

Sid and Manny come across Roshan and his injured mother in the river below the falls. The mother entrusts them with the baby before being swept away by the current. Sid tries to bring the baby to safety, but is surprised to find the human camp deserted. In comes Diego, who offers to take the baby off their hands. Despite Manny’s suspicions, he instructs Diego to track down the humans for them instead. One night, however, Diego secretly sends a message to Soto, revealing his plan to bring both the baby and a mammoth for the pack to devour. After experiencing some adventures together, the “herd” of three discovers human cave paintings while traveling through an ice cave. This triggers painful memories for Manny of losing his own family at the hands of hunters; yet, he has grown deeply attached to Roshan despite this past trauma. Meanwhile, Diego begins questioning his allegiance and decides to switch sides completely after Manny saves him from a dangerous lava flow. He then informs Sid and Manny that Soto’s pack is lying in wait at Half Peak; although initially doubtful, they eventually trust him when he convinces them it is their only chance of survival.