Antz (1998)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Directors:

Eric Darnell
Tim Johnson

Writers:

Todd Alcott (writer) &
Chris Weitz (writer) ...

Release Date:

2 October 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family

Tagline:

Every ant has his day.

Plot:

A rather neurotic ant tries to break from his totalitarian society while trying to win the affection of the princess he loves.

Plot Keywords:

Ant | Princess | Worker | Love | Individuality

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Woody Allen	...	Z (voice)
Dan Aykroyd	...	Chip (voice)
Anne Bancroft	...	Queen (voice)
Jane Curtin	...	Muffy (voice)
Danny Glover	...	Barbatus (voice)
Gene Hackman	...	General Mandible (voice)
Jennifer Lopez	...	Azteca (voice)
John Mahoney	...	Grebs / Drunk Scout / Additional Voices (voice)
Paul Mazursky	...	Psychologist (voice)
Grant Shaud	...	Foreman (voice)
Sylvester Stallone	...	Weaver (voice)
Sharon Stone	...	Princess Bala (voice)
Christopher Walken	...	Colonel Cutter (voice)
Jim Cummings	...	Additional Voices (voice)
April Winchell	...	Additional Voices (voice)

Also Known As:

Ants (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language and menacing action.

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Norway:7 | Canada:G (Alberta/Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | New Zealand:PG | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Belgium:KT | Brazil:Livre | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Iceland:L | Ireland:PG | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #36210)

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

The sound effect accompanying the magnifying glass is the alien saucer sound from The War of the Worlds (1953).

Goofs:

Factual errors: In real life, the situation between ants and termites is reversed from their roles in the movie. Ants prey on termites, which are much smaller - and ants are the ones who secrete acid to kill them.

Quotes:

General Mandible: [Z has broken through to the surface where Mandible and his soldiers wait for them to be drowned] Let go! Don't you understand? It's for the good of the colony!
Z: What are you saying? We are the colony!
[Mandible is about to strike Z when Cutter knocks his aside]
General Mandible: Cutter, what are you doing?
Colonel Cutter: Something I should have done a long time ago.
[extends his hand to the worker ants]
Colonel Cutter: *This* is for the good of the colony, General.
General Mandible: You useless, ungrateful maggot! *I* am the colony!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#21.17)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

I Can See Clearly Now

Watch this and enjoy it. Kids optional.

The trouble with making a children's film has always been to keep the kids happy but avoid making Mum and Dad fall asleep. Disney have always stuck to a solid "one cute song for every acidic aside" ratio which meant that the over-15's got Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy doing a stripped down routine whilst the 10 year olds got pretty pictures, cute animals and plenty of slapstick. This is what has made the House of Mouse the dominant toon makers but their mastery is under attack from Dreamworks SKG. While Walt & Co. delivered Mulan, Mr. Spielberg gave us Prince of Egypt and though Disney won, narrowly, the next round isn't going to be so easy.

Antz is brilliant. Don't let anybody tell you differently. We've got stunning visuals, great jokes, some brilliant scenes and some very likeable characters. What we have is a very smart film. Maybe too smart. The jokes are funny if you're old enough to get them. The sight of a neurotic ant lying on a therapist's leaf complaining about his anxious childhood is hilarious. Especially when the biggest neurotic in the world, Woody Allen, is delivering the lines. His timing, throughout the entire film, is exquisite and the script takes advantage of this at every opportunity i.e.:

Mandible: I like an ant that laughs in the face of death.

Z: Actually I stand behind Death and make belittling comments at its back.

It reads like one of Woody's early, funny films (sorry, but I couldn't resist it) and the rest of the cast are good too but that's because the script takes advantage of their history. Weaver acts like Stallone, Cutter acts like Walken and Barbatus acts like Glover. Anybody that's seen one of their films instantly recognises the voice behind the ant because of how they speak and act. They also bypass the sing-along route and insert a grisly battle sequence similar to Starship Troopers. The adults in the audience will love it. Children may be a little underwhelmed.

How many kids have seen an Allen, Stallone or Walken film? Not many I expect. How many kids have seen Troopers or Metropolis, (which is a big inspiration for the visuals)? Very few. There are a lot of jokes they just won't get. They may enjoy the pretty pictures but there's a distinct lack of cuddly animals, obvious slapstick or happy tunes. Boredom may set in and there may be a few cries during the battle sequence so be ready. Another downside is a slightly weak villain. Hackman does well with what he has but it's not much and truly cool bad guys like James Woods' Hades run circles round him.

Despite that Antz is a blast. As funny and enjoyable for adults as a child-orientated flick could be. It's not the best toon but it's a definite step forward. Maybe Disney have finally met their match.