The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild (2022)

The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild is a brisk, bright shot of prehistoric fun that remembers what these movies do best: big laughs, bigger creatures, and a sense of playful momentum that keeps the whole family leaning forward. Simon Pegg’s Buck is a wonderfully oddball hero—equal parts swagger and sincerity—and pairing him with Crash and Eddie turns the Dinosaur World into a nonstop carnival of slapstick scrapes, goofy banter, and surprisingly nimble action. The vibe is light, zany, and kid-friendly, with just enough dino peril to feel like an adventure without tipping into anything too intense. If you’re looking for a deep, emotionally heavy chapter in the franchise, this isn’t that—but if you want an easy, energetic movie night that moves fast and leaves you smiling, it’s an inviting return to the Lost World.

The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild is clearly trying to spin a simple, kid-friendly side adventure around Buck and the possum brothers, with lots of noisy slapstick and dinosaur chaos. The problem is it often feels like a low-effort detour: the animation and environments look flatter than you’d expect from the franchise, and the story runs on familiar “big bad wants power” beats without much sparkle. If you’re coming for the charm and polish of the earlier Ice Age movies (or you’ll miss key franchise staples like Scrat), this may feel more like a budget TV special stretched into a feature. Still, younger kids who just want bright colors, mild peril, and Buck’s hyperactive energy might be perfectly content for 80 minutes.