Blu-ray

The law of diminishing returns continues to work its magic with this fourth outing in the popular cartoon franchise. This time, when Scrat's lust for acorns inadvertently causes the continental divide (don't ask) Manny, Sid and Diego find themselves stranded on an iceberg and at the mercy of prehistoric pirates as they try to get back home. What follows is a surprisingly mirth-free adventure that is so short on ideas that it gives almost as much screen time to a preachy plot involving an annoying bunch of new teenage characters. Yawn.

Picture: This release serves up two hi-def platters, one 2D, the other 3D. The former is every bit as impressive as you'd expect. The AVC 2.40:1 1080p imagery is ridiculously crisp and sharp, packed with fine details (just look at all of that fur) and richly saturated colours.

Many of the same comments can also be applied to the second Blu-ray's MVC 2.40:1 1080p stereoscopic encode. However, the 3D itself isn't always so impressive. The high-speed on-screen action often leads to some unsightly shimmering and ghosting effects around objects. Additionally, the complexity of the character designs (particularly Manny and the other mammoths, whose tusks move through various planes of depth) sometimes leads to confusing depth cues when the action gets too frantic, which proves quite unpleasant to experience.
Picture rating: 4/5

Audio: There's a lot to like about Ice Age 4's DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack – particularly the thrilling bass that kicks into life during sequences such as Chapter 5's earthquake. The sound of the cracking ice in that sequence also highlights the impressive precision and clarity of the track.

However, there's no getting away from the fact that the sound design does seem a little lacking when it comes to rear activity. Don't get us wrong, there are certainly plenty of surround effects in the mix. But they feel somewhat constrained and certainly don't seem to cut loose in the way that the very best animation soundtracks frequently do.
Audio rating: 4/5

Extras: The 3D platter is devoid of extras beyond promo clips for a trio of Fox's other family-friendly stereoscopic Blu-ray releases. Over on the 2D platter you'll find a Party with a Pirate! viewing mode, a …Story So Far video, two pre-viz deleted scenes, seven featurettes, a sing-along song, three music videos, two trailers and The Scratist spoof trailer.

Curiously, although the 2D Blu-ray will play back in Regions A, B and C, Fox UK has locked its 3D platter to Region B.
Extras rating: 2.5/5

We say: This lacklustre nautical sequel hits Blu-ray with 3D visuals that could leave you feeling a little sea-sick

20th Century Fox, Region B/All-region BD/R2 DVD, £28 Approx, On sale now
HCC VERDICT: 2.5/5