Customer Reviews

Antz (Widescreen)

5 star:		(74)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

This is an embarrasment to kids' films!Annoying ants get on your nerves by whining and sniveling,one irritating ant cusses 4 times in a row and the general grates on your nerves.There's even an embarrasment to high-class Biritsh people as we see a couple of stereotyped "high-class"wasps who are no more than the usual stereotyped rich people.This film is so bad that you'll wish the general destroyed this lackluster excuse for a movie.If you want something about bugs,get "Bug's life"instead.Don't waste your money on "Antz".

I bought this for my kids and I was NOT happy when I heard cuss words and watched this video. Adults may like this video but I WOULD NOT ever reccomend it for kids.

I couldnt deside between 4 or 5 stars... Anyway this movie illustrates the best ant enviornment and makes bugs life look like crap... Wait it is crap! From the crazy general and the colony, to the termite battle, to woody alan and danny glover, to the picknick scene, to insecttopia, and to the halarious lines by Woody Alan. Its just fun!

"The Battle of the Bugs" is what the media labeled Dreamworks SKG's (successful) attempt to get their 3-D animated bug story released in theaters before Disney did, although the former began production several weeks after the latter. Whose film would be released first: The Company of Michael Eisner, or that of his former disgruntled employee Jeffrey Katzenberg? In retrospect, this behind-the-scenes drama seems more than a bit silly, because: 1) That a similarly-themed movie is released first does not necessarily guarantee bigger box office than its competition, and 2) The solidly-PG-rated ANTZ has less in common with the indisputably-G-rated A BUG'S LIFE than one might think, and 3) Therefore, each film attracted a different audience. As it turned out, both films were smash hits: A BUG'S LIFE made a lot more money (as I'm sure it was destined to do), but ANTZ garnered better reviews.

Dreamworks SKG's ANTZ, co-directed by Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson, and released in September of 1998 (a full month before Disney/Pixar's A BUG'S LIFE), tells the very engaging story of a neurotic, lowly worker ant simply named Z (wouldn't his name be Zed in the British version?) voiced by The Woodman himself, whose constantly nagging thoughts of a better existence outside the mindless ant colony drive him to distraction. I love the opening scene with him on the ant psychologist's couch--it's classic Woody from his early comedic period! Actually, the entire film's script is like that, reading like one of his early classics such as TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN (1969) or PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM (1972). After a decade of directing brilliant but increasingly heavy-handed films beginning with CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS (1989), it's refreshing to hear Woody Allen voicing a role that reminds us of how funny a comedic actor he is. The casting of Allen is the lead role here was pure genius.

My advice is to see this film with an open mind; forget about "The Battle of the Bugs" as ANTZ has really nothing whatsoever to do with A BUG'S LIFE, with the only exception being that both films star a nerdy ant who attempts to win the affection of the ant colony princess. That's the only similarity! Otherwise, ANTZ is a much-more-grownup story dealing with Z's attempt to woo Princess Bala (Sharon Stone, brilliantly expressive in a surprisingly comedic role) by switching places with his big, macho soldier-ant friend Weaver (Sylvester Stallone, in a fun and equally surprisingly comedic role of his own). Unfortunately for Z, Princess Bala's powerful, but darkly sinister, fiancee General Mandible (Gene Hackman) sends the ant colony into battle against a nearby termite colony, in which Z pairs up with gungo-ho soldier-ant Barbatus (Danny Glover) who saves his life in battle. Being the only ant who survives the battle (which is a bit gruesome, by the way), Z is welcomed back as the unlikely hero, 'accidentally' kidnaps Princess Bala and seeks out this land of freedom known as Insectopia, about which he was told by an old, crazy ant at the ant-bar. Inspired by his example, the other worker ants begin revolting against their way of life, hilariously spouting Socialist slogans along the way. The Queen (Anne Bancroft) is concerned; however, General Mandible has plans of his own.

ANTZ is darkly comic and self-knowing; it never takes itself too seriously. One aspect for which it has been criticized is how literally dark it is; taking place mostly inside an underground ant colony, it is mostly sepia-toned. A BUG'S LIFE has more primary colors throughout. (Although to an unrealistic extent---I mean, c'mon, when have you ever seen blue ants?) However, the scenes outside the ant colony in ANTS are actually very bright and colorful. Again, these are just two different films: ANTS, with its mildly adult language, themes and occasional violence, is definitely PG-rated. Its humor is appreciated more by adults than kids. That doesn't mean you should go the extreme route of not letting your pre-teen kid see it (it is, after all, rated PG, not PG-13); however, I wouldn't recommend it for the under-8-year-old-set either. Like with anything else, just use your judgment.

The final verdict in my review: ANTZ is a very entertaining combination of 3-D animation and excellent voice-over acting by excellent (and very well-cast) actors such as all who were previously named, plus Christopher Walken, Dan Aykroyd, Jennifer Lopez, John Mahoney, Grant Shaud and Paul Mazursky. It is true that A BUG'S LIFE has superior animation; however, ANTZ has the better and more engaging story. My recommendation is to show A BUG'S LIFE to your 4-year-old-and-above kids; when they reach 8, then start showing them ANTZ. Again, these films have different audiences, and therefore different things to appreciate about each of them. The good thing is that each movie can be appreciated on various levels, so the audience for each is still pretty wide. It's just that ANTZ's audience is not quite as wide as A BUG'S LIFE. But that's okay; ANTZ succeeds brilliantly in its mission to provide an entertaining combo of action for older pre-teen kids and humor for teens/adults. Unfortunately, the DVD doesn't offer a lot of extras, but what it does contain is quite cool, especially the behind-the-scenes look at the film. If you like this type of humor and appreciate 3-D animation, then buy ANTZ if you haven't already done so.

RECOMMENDED
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR WOODY ALLEN FANS

Very cute and funny film about ants and their lives. Great for adults and kids.

Antz is a good movie, and not at all boring, however, perhaps it missed the primary target audience a bit. Unlike Bugs Life, or more recent movies like Monsters Inc., Shrek, and others, this movie took a bit of a different tack. The actors providing voice overs here, Allen, Stallone, Stone, Hackman and others don't seem to hit the nail on the head when it comes to "children's movies" and since I'm not saying they were cast poorly, I guess I'm saying that the movie tries to be too sophisticated.
It is entertaining, and I'd even say worth owning, but judging by how often we've viewed it compared to other similar movies, I just couldn't rate it as high.

Antz has deep social issues within the movie. It follows the life of an embattled ant named Z (notice the name choice to signify the "last") and his struggle to break free from the grips of structured society. The hidden meanings are very deep and the animation and the acting are top-notch as well. This movie is not only for kids. Adults should watch it as well, and learn a thing or two about rising above the crowd. Highly recommended.

This is a great movie to watch in the context of political philosophy, especially when concerned with Plato's Republic. The movie is actually a pretty solid argument against the bronze-silver-gold (worker-soldier-queen) society which Plato creates in his "just" city.

Antz looks like standard animation fare. I didn't expect a great movie, or even a good movie. Boy was I wrong. Antz is to standard animation as 1984 is to political novels. What's more, it out-1984s 1984, and is in the league of, but not as political as, Rand's "Anthem".

Antz is the story of a neurotic worker ant named Z-4195, masterly scripted and voiced by Woody Allen, as a depressed individualist in a microcosm where complete conformity, obedience and class-based social structure is the rule. The only thing that keeps him from becoming a total outcast is his friend Weaver, a soldier ant voiced by Sylvester Stallone.

Attracted to the princess of the colony, "Z" switches places with Weaver in a ploy to see her again, but is caught in a full-scale battle with a termite colony where he is the only survivor. While his individualism becomes contagious and creates turmoil amongst the other ants, he and the princess set in a journey to try to find the fabled Insectopia.

Other voice actors are Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Anne Bancroft, Christopher Walken, Jennifer Lopez, Danny Glover, and Dan Aykroyd. As goofy as the voice casting choices may sound, they really work. The humour will probably appeal more to adults than children (as for example Woody Allen pointing out that "when you're the middle child in a family of five million, you don't get any attention."). The views of the colony are impressive, even for an animation. A sense of scale and wonder is maintained throughout, under as well as over ground. The Insectopia, for example, turns out to be a picnic which, thanks to plastic bags and a looking glass, is more work than expected.

As a nice touch, there are socialist slogans everywhere, like "FREE TIME IS FOR TRAINING" (an actual real-life PDI slogan), and even an Atlas ant, in Atlas Shrugged pose, with the words "CONQUER IDLENESS". The evils of statism are not presented as stereotypical evil, but rather as an honestly-held belief, just as they are in real life. Even the backstabbing General Mandible is motivated by an ideology which, to simple minds, would make sense. While the worker ants rise up against their oppressors, they still hold their false premises, and chant socialist slogans : and as well they are quickly turned back into obedience by promises of more material gain by General Mandible.

While Disney continues to churn out mediocre animation which preaches the evils of collectivism, obedience and altruism (including the competitor to Antz, "A Bug's Life"), Antz is an incredible case in point of rationality, coupled with good humour, a sense of wonder, and modern technology, triumphing in modern movies. If you like animation, I cannot recommend "Antz" enough.

Weaver: What are you bitching about? In case you haven't noticed, we ants are running the show ! We're the Lords of the Earth !

A witty worker Ant named "Z" switch places with his friend " Weaver" so that he can win the hand of the sexy " Princess Balla" and finds himself in many adventures out of the colony.
A highly entertaining and memorable animated movie done in realistic CGI made by PDI ( the company that animated "Shrek"), it's one of the finest animation movies done by Dreamworks during the same year when "Prince of Egypt" came out and another similar insect story from Disney/Pixar called " A Bug's Life" came out. This is far more for adults than " Bug's Life", it's one of the best animated movies i've ever seen. The voice acting was great with Sylvester Stallone, Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Christopher Walken, Jane Curtin, Dan Ackyroid, Anne Bancroft, Gene Hackman and Jennifer Lopez makes this a Must See!
Also recommended: A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo, Watership Down, Transformers: The Movie, The Secret of NIMH, The Flight of Dragons, Toy Story, The Hobbit, Toy Story 2, The Last Unicorn, The Dark Crystal, Rock & Rule, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Metropolis ( 2001 anime version), Final Fantasy: The Movie, Monsters Inc, Roujin-Z, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, Heavy Metal.