Ice Age: The Meltdown is a 2006 animated film directed by Carlos Saldanha and is the sequel to the original Ice Age (2002). The film continues the adventures of Manny the woolly mammoth, Sid the sloth, and Diego the saber-toothed tiger as they navigate a new threat posed by melting ice and rising waters.
The story begins in a valley surrounded by a high ice wall, which the characters soon discover is a dam holding back a massive reservoir. As the ice begins to melt, they learn from a vulture that they have three days to reach a boat located at the other end of the valley to escape an impending flood. The trio embarks on this journey, during which they encounter Ellie, a female mammoth who believes she is an opossum, along with her mischievous brothers, Crash and Eddie.
As they travel together, Manny struggles with feelings of loneliness, believing he might be the last of his kind. His relationship with Ellie deepens, but he initially hesitates to express his feelings due to his past trauma involving his deceased family. Meanwhile, two prehistoric sea reptiles, Cretaceous and Maelstrom, are released from their icy prison due to the melting ice and pose a significant threat to the group.
The film features comedic moments interspersed with action as the group faces various challenges, including encounters with the sea reptiles and navigating hazardous terrain such as geysers. In a climactic sequence, Manny saves Ellie from being trapped in a cave as floodwaters rise. Scrat, the beloved saber-toothed squirrel, also has his own subplot involving his relentless pursuit of an acorn, which inadvertently leads to saving the valley's inhabitants by draining the floodwaters.
In the end, Manny learns to embrace his feelings for Ellie and decides to stay with her as part of a larger herd of mammoths that emerges from the fissure created during Scrat's antics. The film concludes on a hopeful note as Manny and Ellie begin their new life together.
Ice Age: The Meltdown received generally positive reviews for its humor and animation quality. It grossed over $660 million worldwide and solidified its place as a beloved family-friendly franchise while exploring themes of friendship, love, and acceptance.