Comparisons with Antz are obvious and the fact that both films came out almost simultaneously is suspicious to say the least. They are however, rather different films and where Antz aimed at a more mature audience and featured the voices of Woody Allen and Sharon Stone to prove it, A Bug's Life is clearly more of a kids film with many people responsible for Disney's other smash hit computer-animated flick, Toy Story, also behind this one.
Flik (very much like Woody Allen's Z) is an ant who, much to the chagrin of his docile colleagues, wants to shake up the colony and introduce new methods into their age-old ways. Unsurprisingly he's ignored by the ruling royal family and when his bumbling destroys a vital food pile set out for some bullying grasshoppers, led by the vicious Hopper (Spacey), he is sent away forever as punishment.
His determination to set things right and rid his colony of the need to serve the grasshoppers remains though and leads him to the 'big city' and a search for some warrior bugs to return with him and fight. Sadly, he picks up a bunch of unknowing circus bugs and takes them home to prove himself once again. It's not long before the reluctant warriors realise their predicament but a desperate Flik pleads with them to stay and help fool the grasshoppers into leaving, risky though it is.
It's a great film but it lacks the serious issues of Antz or the emotional pull of Toy Story 2 and in my mind doesn't warrent inclusion in the hallowed halls of the truly fantastic animated film. The story is a little hackneyed, as all Disney's plots are, and one wonders how long can they continue to do this. Also, Spacey is underused appearing in just three scenes, detracting from the sense of impending doom and grasshopper superiority. And it's just too damn much like Antz! |
