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Bug's Life is more family-oriented than
ANTZ--fewer in-jokes, a hero and story geared more towards the
under-10 set, and cutsie creatures. But adults won't be bored. In
fact, I saw it with a friend--same one I saw ANTZ with, oddly
enough--and we never once felt like we'd stumbled into a kiddie
film.
I won't go into the story of Life, but I must
mention the play on the Ant and the Grasshopper parable.
The leader of the grasshoppers (Kevin Spacey)
learned an important lesson from the fate of his lazy, playful
forefather. Hopper's plan for avoiding starvation during the
winter months? Take the ants' food.
The story revolves around one ant's
unwillingness to live with this fate.
I would prefer it if more of these films where
a society is *changed* had a female hero, rather than a male one.
But given that, it's worth pointing out that in Bug's Life, the
queen is indisputably the boss and the princess is moving up
nicely. Women rulers who aren't looking to marry and making
decisions as the head of state. It's a start.
ANTZ had A-list movie voices, A Bug's Life is
rostered by TV stars of A-list shows--with Kevin Spacey and
Dennis Leary thrown in for good measure. Leary's ladybug is the
best of the bunch, and he makes the most of every line. (Brief
aside--Leary has had a fantastic year.)
The true terror of the movie is provided by the
bird--the scene in which the bird feeds her young is as
horrifying as anything I've seen onscreen in years. I covered my
eyes. Awful.
DO NOT LEAVE BEFORE THE CREDITS RUN!!! Possibly
the funniest conceit all year--the very idea should crack you up.
And then the execution of it is glorious.
The opening cartoon is Geri's Game, the 1998
Oscar winner for Best Animated Short.
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