FROZEN and Ice Age pretty much have the market locked up when it comes to animated adventures in the snow.

But director Trevor Wall makes a good attempt to thaw hearts in Norm of the North.

The children's film features the voice of Rob Schneider as polar bear Norm.

He is the Arctic's worst hunter but he makes up for it with the gift of being able to 'talk human'.

This leads him on a quest to New York to save his homeland when a greedy and corrupt corporation decides to build luxury homes on the ice.

Norm must foil Mr Greene's (Ken Jeong) sinister plans and finds friendship with Vera (Heather Graham), a marketing exec with a conscience, and her daughter Olympia (Maya Kay) along the way.

Norm of the North is Wall's first film after working as an animator, writer and director on numerous TV shows.

Animated with some quirky touches, the feature shows promise for much more to come from the director in years to come.

Norm's sidekicks, the lemmings, also give Despicable Me's Minions a run for their money in the cute stakes (a losing battle of course but a good effort).

But the film's messages about conservation and corporate greed are clumsy and the way Norm learns something about himself through his friendship with Vera and Olympia is a bit clichéd.

If my toddler's reaction was anything to go by, is is not captivating enough for young viewers and it could have also done with some in-jokes for parents.

Created by Splash Entertainment, behind Bratz and Horrible Histories, the studio probably had high hopes of breaking into the highly competitive children's films market.

But Norm lacks the heart of Pixar's masterful features or the humour of Illumination Entertainment films like Despicable Me and Minions.

- Norm of the North is available on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday

RATING: 5/10

DAVID MORGAN