Dreamworks is finally beginning to show that it is different to other studios. Their "children film" division is producing work that is arguably more enjoyable for adults. A movie like Small Soldiers was tops, and I think, made Toy Story look like a hopeless film. Now comes Antz, which is even more overtly aimed at adults in spite of its fully digital animation. The movie has an intellectualism to it that is more fitting for say, a Woody Allen film. Perhaps that's why Woody Allen plays an ant named Z. Allen is perfect in the role of the somewhat neurotic ant who cannot stand the way all the ants follow orders and adhere to such conformity. Behind the story is an almost Grimm like fable about corporatism, communism and fascism, as well as the classical hollywood ideal of the individual. There are also the compulsary dreamwork references to other films and pop culture (I'm sure this comes from Steven Spielberg who in Close Encounters and ET makes an ingenious use of pop culture): Pulp fiction and Patton being two I picked out. THe performances in Antz are very good. Allen and Stone are excellent in their roles. Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Lopez are perfectly cast, and so are the two people that play the wasps in a minor role. The animation here craps over toy story, though at times you could tell that some scenes needed more detailed work on them. More to come on my second viewing. Animation is finally becoming an exciting medium and the most revolutionary in modern film thanks to the now strong competition between Disney and Dreamworks. I can't wait to see Disney's "A Bug's Life" and the next PDI feature.

80/100