Honestly, if you grew up watching a grumpy mammoth and a sarcastic saber-toothed tiger, sitting down to watch The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild probably felt like a bit of a fever dream. You've got the familiar icy landscapes and the colorful chaos of the Lost World, but something is... off.
It’s the sixth movie in a franchise that has raked in over $6 billion. That's a lot of acorns. But this 2022 Disney+ release wasn't just another sequel. It was a massive pivot for the series that left a lot of long-time fans scratching their heads and wondering where the "soul" of the herd went.
The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild and the Empty Nest Syndrome
The story kicks off with Crash and Eddie—those lovable, albeit incredibly annoying, possum brothers—deciding they’ve had enough of Ellie’s overprotective hovering. They want to be "independent possums." It’s a relatable theme, right? Except their version of independence involves accidentally causing an avalanche and stumbling right back into the dinosaur-infested Lost World.
This is where they reunite with the title character. Buck Wild, the one-eyed, dinosaur-hunting weasel voiced by the incomparable Simon Pegg, is essentially the Bear Grylls of the prehistoric underground. He's eccentric. He talks to rocks. He once "married" a pineapple.
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The plot basically follows Buck trying to stop a big-brained Protoceratops named Orson from taking over the Lost World. Orson wants to kick out all the mammals because he was bullied as a kid. It's a standard "revenge of the nerd" villain arc, just with more raptors.
Where did everyone go?
Here is the thing that most people notice within the first five minutes: Simon Pegg is the only original voice actor who came back.
- Manny isn't Ray Romano.
- Sid isn't John Leguizamo.
- Diego isn't Denis Leary.
Instead, we get voice actors like Sean Kenin Elias-Reyes and Jake Green doing their best impressions. They’re talented, sure, but for a franchise built on the specific chemistry of its A-list cast, it’s jarring. It feels like watching a cover band. They know the lyrics, but the vibe is different.
Why the Animation Looks... Like That
If you thought the movie looked a little "flatter" than Collision Course or Continental Drift, you aren't imagining things. There’s a very specific, somewhat sad reason for this.
Blue Sky Studios, the original creators of the Ice Age look, was shut down by Disney in 2021. The pandemic hit hard, and the studio was a casualty of the Fox-Disney merger. The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild was finished by 20th Century Animation and a Canadian studio called Bardel Entertainment.
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The budget was clearly smaller. The textures aren't as hairy. The lighting is more basic. In some scenes, the characters almost look like they belong in a high-end video game cutscene rather than a feature film. It’s a stark reminder of what was lost when Blue Sky closed its doors.
The Missing Squirrel
And then there’s the Scrat-sized hole in the heart of the movie.
For many, the silent comedy of Scrat and his elusive acorn was the best part of the whole series. He’s completely absent here. This wasn't just a creative choice; there was a long-running legal battle over the character’s rights between Disney and Scrat’s creator, Ivy Silberstein. While that’s mostly settled now, his absence in this spin-off made the whole thing feel less like "Ice Age" and more like a generic prehistoric adventure.
The New Blood: Zee the Zorilla
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. The movie introduces Zee, a "zorilla" (basically a striped polecat) voiced by Justina Machado. She’s easily the best part of the new cast.
Zee is a former teammate of Buck’s. She’s competent, brave, and uses a specialized sleeping gas to take down enemies. Her presence gives Buck some much-needed character development. We see that beneath the madness and the talking-to-inanimate-objects, Buck actually cares about his old friends and has a history of trying to make the Lost World a better place.
Is It Worth a Watch?
If you have a toddler who loves dinosaurs and slapstick humor, they will probably have a blast. My friend's nine-year-old was glued to the screen. To a kid, the change in voice actors or the lack of fur physics doesn't matter. They just want to see a weasel ride a pterodactyl.
But for the "legacy" fans? It’s a bit of a tough pill to swallow. It feels less like a cinematic event and more like a long TV pilot.
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What You Should Do Next
If you’re a die-hard fan of the franchise, here’s the real tea: Ice Age 6 has been officially confirmed. John Leguizamo (the real Sid!) recently let it slip that the original gang is returning for a proper theatrical sequel.
If you want to catch up, here is how to handle The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild:
- Watch it as a standalone: Don't compare it to the original trilogy. Think of it as a separate "Buck and the Possums" show.
- Focus on Zee: Justina Machado’s performance is genuinely great and brings a new energy to the group.
- Wait for the real deal: If the recasting bothered you, hold out for the upcoming mainline sequel where the original voices are expected to return.
The franchise has always been about the "herd" being a family, even when things get messy. This movie is definitely a messy chapter, but it keeps the flame flickering until the original trio returns to the big screen.
Actionable Insight: If you're looking for the classic Ice Age feel, stick to the first three films on Disney+. If you're specifically a fan of Simon Pegg's comedic energy, give this spin-off a 20-minute trial run to see if the new animation style works for you.