DVDS: CHILLED OUT; DVD OF THE WEEK ICE AGE 2: THE MELTDOWN (U, DVD pounds 24.99) ***.

Byline: JESSICA MELLOR

An animated comedy is only as good as the voice talent who bring life to the characters that inhabit it and this impressive sequel has an eclectic cast to die for.

Queen Latifah, Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary and Seann William Scott all get their vocal cords round the crazy characters in this tale about the end of the ice age.

When Manny the woolly mammoth (Romano), Sid the sloth (Leguizamo) and Diego the sabre-toothed tiger (Leary) learn that their beloved valley is about to be flooded and the only chance they have of survival is a boat at the other end of the valley, they set off on a perilous journey.

Along the way they meet Crash (William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck), cheeky possums who are adoptive brothers to Latifah's Ellie, a woolly mammoth who thinks she's a possum.

Manny is concerned that they are the only mammoths left and, if there is any chance of his species surviving, he is going to have to learn to get along with Ellie. But the hard-headed creatures are as stubborn as each other and can't seem to find a common ground.

So as Manny and Ellie lock horns, it's up to the rest of their herd to ensure they reach their destination safely.

This cute and colourful adventure took a while to grow on me but the mix of sharp writing and fleshed out characters soon got me smiling. Kids will love the way it flits between danger and comedy, and the pace is just right for a tale like this.

Ice Age 2 isn't as joke-filled and funny as the first movie, but there's the usual high standard of animation and Latifah, Romano et al all throw as much energy and emotion as possible into their respective characters.

The two disc DVD includes masses of extras. There are commentaries, a sneak peek at The Simpsons Movie, a short film featuring the cheeky Scrat character, and close-ups on the animation.

There's also a music video, a look at the characters behind the voices, sights from the director's chair, a featurette on making a scene, a look at how the marketing strategy, three set-top games and loads of funny asides featuring characters from the movie.

STAR RATINGS: ***** Must see at all cost **** A+ entertainment *** Average ** Poor * Save your money

CAPTION(S):

FULL THROTTLE: Diego the tiger takes Sid the sloth in hand' POSSUM PALS: Josh Peck and William Scott