The "Ice Age" films, which now number four, might have a prehistoric setting like the Flintstones, but their cartoon world is much closer to Wile E. Coyote.

More than 10 years after the first movie hit theaters, the arrival of “Ice Age: Continental Drift” will hopefully mark the extinction of a worn-out franchise. This “fourquel” may be brief and slightly comical to youngsters, but “Continental Drift” is a frequently tedious ride through uninspired territory.

It feels as if I already critiqued “Ice Age: Continental Drift” a few weeks ago in my review of “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted.” Like that animated sequel, this film is burdened with the excessively recognizable voices of celebrities, overdone morals, and a dire amount of repetition.

Despicable Me exists in a world overrun with villains but no superheroes to bring balance. Superheroes aren't entirely mandatory in Despicable Me though. Where most diabolical geniuses set out to commit mass murder and world domination, the baddies in this movie consider stealing a Great Pyramid to be the most malicious of acts. Compared to Syndrome from The Incredibles, they're more like the villains on Saturday morning cartoons or one of the more preposterous James Bond movies.

Despicable Me exists in a world overrun with villains but no superheroes to bring balance. Superheroes aren't entirely mandatory in Despicable Me though. Where most diabolical geniuses set out to commit mass murder and world domination, the baddies in this movie consider stealing a Great Pyramid to be the most malicious of acts. Compared to Syndrome from The Incredibles, they're more like the villains on Saturday morning cartoons or one of the more preposterous James Bond movies.

Review: There's more action and cuddly creatures for kids to love in "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" than in the animated franchise's first two installments.