User reviews

Antz is an animated movie that wasn't appreciated upon its initial release. After the family friendly movie Toy Story, I feel like people weren't ready for something a little bit darker, and more intense. This movie has death (and a lot of it at that), it has violence, it has gore, it has humor, it has swearing, and it has alcohol in it... pretty epic huh (granted, just being edgy doesn't necessarily equal good). The movie Antz which actually came out before A Bug's Life by about a month takes the role of what ants do a lot more seriously and better captures an ant like atmosphere. The movie A Bug's Life really doesn't seem to understand what ants do or how their colonies work, but the movie Antz does it all. There are the miners, the warriors, the drones (the ones with wings) the queen and others. The voice acting itself is also pretty good and Woody Allen fits the role of Z perfectly. The animation was also pretty advanced for its time, because it did many things that were hard for that time: Water, large amounts of moving objects, realistic face movement, realistic body movement, lighting, and many others.

The nice thing about this movie is that it doesn't pretend to be a kids movie. Ants swear in it (the word b****in is used once) and as mentioned there is a lot of violence. Like a very intense scene where the ants are trying to fight a termite colony and the ants are getting attacked by acid, are getting decapitated, and dying in other various barbaric ways. The thing is that this movie doesn't cover up death. When someone dies, the movie won't hide it.

The other cool thing in Antz is that the rest of the insects in the movie are as hideous and monstrous as they should be. Praying Mantis? It is infinitely larger than an Ant. Wasps? Like giants. It gives this overwhelming sense that Z is not only small in the ant world but also small in the insect world as well. There is nothing that can't kill him (even the princess could if she wanted).

Honestly this movie was really good, it has a good story, it has good characters, it is realistic, and has nice action. One of Dreamkworks' best.

I watched this for the first time with my sister as part of our Dreamworks Movie Marathon. Though not even remotely comparable to Pixar's A Bug's Life in terms of quality, Antz is an enjoyable overall experience. The main character was a bit annoying, but at least he was different than I expected. His romantic counterpart was very intolerable, and this resulted in an extremely forced romance between two characters who had no reason to fall in love.

That all being said, the movie had teeth, and it was unafraid to kill off characters left and right. The main theme of non-conformity really beat you over the head throughout the film, and could have been a bit more subtle. This basic plot leads me to believe this film is directed at kids, but the innuendo and adult-jokes make me think otherwise. Not sure if it's a good kids movie since I'm not a kid anymore, but Antz is a pretty good film with some problems here and there.

I'll be reviewing every Dreamworks film after my sister and I watch it, so Antz is a good start.

It's probably the first time Woody Allen is so much like himself when he isn't at all. Ant Z, a neurotic, fatalistic, depressive, sorry ant with a record low level of self-esteem transforms into a (part-time) content, revolutionary hero of his utterly totalitarian and fascistic colony ever imaginable. Apart from the incredibly precise animation and "logical" fantasy, one feels a bit distracted with the subliminal messages the picture tries to impose. While it would be easy to reduce the moral to the frequently recited motto: "think for yourself once!", there are too many of them to ignore. This definitely is not a kid's flick, it is meant for and appreciated by adults, with many philosophical, psychological and social references and conflicts. One big "bravo!" to Dreamworks. I think they have achieved the point where adults can actually enjoy animation movies while believing the whole stuff. These insects are surely going to bite some Disney bugs.

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.

Sweet animated comedy. Story is not that original but is very well told and animated. Hilariously funny at times.

Voice cast is an all-star one: Woody Allen, Dan Aykroyd, Anne Bancroft, Danny Glover, Gene Hackman, Jennifer Lopez, Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, Christopher Walken. Moreover, the cast delivers in spades - great casting.

Released 1 year after Disney/Pixar's 'A Bugs Life' and still during the early years of the computer generated genre, Dreamworks released their second all CGI cartoon 'ANTZ' and despite the glaring resemblances between the 2 movies; all it not as it appears.

ANTZ still stands alone as the more adult movie in the genre, far more complexity in the character's emotions and a far more sinister plot evolution separate this from rest. OK movies like 'Shrek', 'Finding Nemo' and 'Toy Story' have adult undertones beneath the humour, but ANTZ doesn't rely on such subtlety.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM OF EITHER STYLE!

We follow the struggle of 'Z' (Woody Allen) as he tries to come to terms with his life as a worker, his neurosis, his love for Princess Bala and dream of something better. Allen is excellently supported by an all star cast, including Sharon Stone, Sylvester Stallone, Gene Hackman, Christopher Walken, etc, and we are treated to a visually impressive rendition of a heart warming story about life as an ANT.

This movie can still be enjoyed as a family film, but much of it will be lost on younger kids.

In Summary ANTZ is a fine film, but in truth it is difficult to compare with others in the genre, and for that; i salute it!

7/10

This is one of the movies I used to watch over and over again as a kid and I still love it even now. The animation was great for the day and the writing is great with many humorous parts and a great storyline. This movie is also backed by an all star cast which you don't really see too often in an animated movie.

This movie is about an ant named Zee who is a part of an ant colony when he figures out a terrible secret lead by the general of the ant colony that not even the queen knows about.

This really is a perfect film for all ages. It has a great cast great writing and it makes it a very enjoyable movie. If you have kids or are just a fan of a good animated movie this one is for you.

It is a cartoon meaning two things: First it shows us a typical cartoon. A cartoon of children..Main character Faces with some fun and this make audience have some fun. However, the cartoon has another face. As can be seen in the book of George Orwell called 1984, there can be a guy distinguished, alienated himself from the society even though the society was established with very strong ties. It is interesting that, there can be another member like himself and they find each other by ignoring some strict rules. As we saw it in 1984, same thing occurs in this cartoon. Being bored of her life, Princess Bala joins to workers entertainment. And the `extreme` life of the couples gets start. As the time passes, strict rules become useless and some liberal ideas spread through the society. Moreover, we see some lovers from different classes. These are some examples of the destruction of a totalitarian society in the cartoon. And we see many fascist rulers like General who wants to create a pure colony in our world. This cartoon is a very good example of this idea. As in the real world this idea collapses at the end. Finally i can add that there is a lot to learn how to make all the members enough satisfied. May be there is no way...

I loved this story. I thought is was a very intelligently entertaining movie:- a good combination of interesting ideas mixed with great visuals and broad comedy.

All the the voice casting was top notch; especially Gene Hackman, Christopher Walken, Sylvester Stallone, Dan Aykroyd, and of course Woody Allen. There was also great version of Neil Finn singing "I Can See Clearly Now"; and the visual design and music score was breath-taking and dynamic. Plus the storyline is more gritty with a darker undercurrent, and would appeal to a more sophisticated audience, which it is good to have. I'm not saying that cute fun stories aren't OK too. In fact IMHO the wider the spectrum of stories we can get the better we'll all be.

I personally think this is slightly ahead of the equally brilliant A BUG'S LIFE; even though both are really top class storytelling. This one wins by about half a feeler.

_Antz_ is the latest in a misbegotten trend of trying to graft adult content onto animated family films. Blame _The Lion King_ (and guiding hand for both films, Jeffrey Katzenberg) for doing it well and reaping the financial rewards, but successors reaching for the same brass ring (both within Disney -- _Hunchback_, e.g. -- and without) go too far. Not only is the language in _Antz_ a tad inappropriate (do you really want to explain "erotic fantasy" to your five-year-old?), the use of Woody Allen as the voice of the hero along with battle and flood imagery reminiscent of other DreamWorks films like _Saving Private Ryan_ and _Deep Impact_ only reinforces the sense that _Antz_ is aspiring to be something perverse: a gritty, neurotic, philosophical disaster movie for the whole family.

But the worst offense of all is that the film is boring. The script is as trite as they come, moving as it does from one movie cliche to the next without stopping for real character development. The dialogue is surprisingly witless and plodding, with every joke telegraphed well in advance. The songs -- admittedly a frequent bane of Disney films as well -- are of even less interest here as they are "standards" tossed in for no apparent reason. And the film is visually dull as well -- all dark and dingy in the ant colony where most of the action takes place, but hardly more beautiful in the great outdoors.

_Antz_ may represent another leap forward in the art of computer animation, but I found the short trailer I saw for _A Bug's Life_ to contain much more life, color, whimsy and invention than the entirety of this disappointing affair.

I'm probably a weird guy, but I really appreciate a good animated movie even though I'm no longer a kid (I'm 26 years old). What I liked about this one is the great animation, the nice story, the humor...

I haven't seen A Bug's Life yet, which makes it impossible for me to compare both of course, but I really liked the style used in Antz. Usually a Disney production gives me the feeling I'm watching a movie which was intended for kids only (although A Bug's Life was created by the Pixar studio's, which gives me a bit of hope), while Dreamworks understood that adults too can appreciate this kind of movies, if only they take care of the style and the story. Most of Disney's animated movies are just too smooth, too perfect for me, and to be honest the songs almost make me sick.

The style in Antz is much grittier. It isn't as perfect and smooth as a Disney production and the message is a lot stronger. The film is probably exciting for little children, thanks to the humor, fantastic images and action, but the underlying subtext and social commentary on humans make this movie different from Disney's moralizing films. However, the different message isn't the only difference between Disney and Dreamworks. I don't think Disney ever risked to use very well known scenes from other movies in their own films. In Antz you can find some excellent scenes which refer to movies like Metropolis, Starship Troopers,...

Some people have some critics on this movie because it doesn't show how a real anthill is organized, how strong ants really are, that ants don't look for a partner, ... Let me tell this to these people: I respect you're way of thinking but I think you should have watched a documentary instead of an animated movie. I sure hope you understand there is still a big difference between a documentary, based on scientific research, meant to teach people and a movie like Antz, who's only purpose is to entertain people. Personally I liked the movie for what it was and I give it an 8/10.

I just watched Antz and I have to say that over all I did enjoy it. I was looking forward to seeing this next animated flick that was on my list of "must-see's", it's one of those movies I always meant to get around too, but never did. When I saw that my friend had it, she was happy to lend it to me, and I couldn't wait to watch it. We have a great cast, including the coolest actor ever: Christopher Walken! Gosh, I could never say that enough.

Antz is about a worker ant, Z, who has never had the chance to prove himself any more than an average working ant. When he meets Princess Bala, that all changes and he begs his soldier friend to trade places with him so he can see the princess again. But he gets caught in war and is the only survivor by major coincidences, when the royal family finds out that he met the princess before, they want to kill him, but he takes the princess out to find "insectopia" as his hostage for survival. But they must go back to stop the general from drowning the colony to build a new one.

The only thing that disturbed me was there was a little bit of language that seemed just a little too much for kids who would be under the age of 8 or 9, not to mention the violence is a little mild, so I do warn parents that the PG rating isn't for nothing. But I thought while this isn't my new favorite animation movie by Dreamworks, it's still a good one.

7/10

It was individualism vs. collectivism, democracy vs. socialism, and it sucked. I'm not saying it sucked because I necessarily prefer collectivism and socialism, it just sucked. It was too didactic and Woody Allen is a HORRIBLE cast. I don't think I've been more annoyed while watching an animation. Allen's very voice along with his dry UNwitty humor are like an annoyance spell--the moment I hear it my body wants to convulse. Listening to Allen ramble on incessantly was enough to sink the best movie.

The weird thing about this movie is that they wanted to impress upon its viewer that we're all individuals who should be able to make our own choices, but they used ants to tell the story. I get it: irony, but they quite literally used the most socially collective creatures on Earth who are driven by their DNA to do exactly what they do.

And what was all the adult content for? They could've done without the "hells" and "damns" and the reference to an "erotic fantasy." It is a kid's movie after all. Isn't it?

Okay, so it's not War and Peace, but this film is about as dark and meaningful as you could want a big-budget comedy animation to be. The computer animation itself never ceases to be awe-inspiring and more than compensates for the plot holes - I personally did like the style of the characters themselves, although others have disagreed. The casting is perfect, and Woody Allen as Z-4195 the neurotic worker ant complete with impeccable one-liners is at times hilarious. Although the plot falls into predictability, the communist metaphors combined with the basic boy-meets-girl-above-his-station story make this highly enjoyable, and all you could want as a 3D animation suitable for adults. A strong opening blow in the Disney-Dreamworks rivalry swordfight.

While some of the jokes were good, and I liked the animation and the film's perspective, I found some of the plot twists pretty creepy for a film that many kids could be watching. There are some pretty violent scenes, including one very disturbing death and several mildly disturbing deaths, as well as an interrogation which leaves one character bruised and slightly bloodied. I was surprised to find these elements in a film that I had thought was intended for children, then I realized that it was rated PG. Does no one make kids films for kids anymore? Must everything be "gritty" to be entertaining?

Part of the fun of the movie Antz is that on works on many different levels and as several different stories. Children might enjoy it as simply a cute animated film (although the aftermath of the battle between the ants vs. the termites earned Antz a PG rating). At another level, Antz is the old girl-meet-boy from the wrong side of the tracks story). The film is also part adventure film with political intrigue and action. At yet another level, the film is an interesting political parable complete with sophisticated humor and witty dialogue.

Antz is about Ant Z, a neurotic worker ant in a colony of millions of ants. The movie opens with Ant Z lying on the psychiatrist's couch asking questions about the meaning of life, and the needs of the individual as opposed to the society as a whole. Fittingly, the voice, neuroses, and mannerisms of Ant Z are provided by Woody Allen. Sharon Stone provides the voice of Princess Bala, daughter of the queen of the ants. Princess Bala meets Z when she goes to a working-class bar. There is a cute dance sequence here complete with imitations of John Travolta and Uma Thurman from Pulp Fiction. The one part of the movie that could use some debugging is the political parable. There are some references to the class system that could have been written by Karl Marx. There are other times when Ant Z rallies the troops around the themes of individualism and autonomy. In short, the film is a bit unfocused in terms of its central theme, and as a result, the political parable is the least satisfying of the elements.

If we don't take this part too seriously, we can still enjoy the film. Additional voices are provided by Gene Hackman, Christopher Walken, Danny Glover, and Jennifer Lopez (too name a few). The computer-generated animation is excellent. The dialogue is witty and well-written with lots of tongue-in-cheek references to contemporary culture. For example, when Ant Z is in trouble, a chorus of Ants starts singing "all we are saying, is give Z a chance." All in all, not a bad summary evaluation for the film as a whole.

I was impressed with all the big names that were in this film and figured that it just HAD to be at least marginally entertaining. And I was right--it was sometimes marginally entertaining. I just couldn't help thinking that this could have been a much better film by doing one of two things: making this completely a childrens' movie, or making it a "grownup" movie. As it is, Antz wobbles back and forth and just doesn't do either job very well.

The animation just wasn't consistently good. Sometimes the screen was filled with beautiful eye candy, and other times it was just a plain screen with an unmoving, undetailed head of an ant that looked like something from an old video game on my old computer.

The supposedly deep underlying social messages just didn't work for me. I wasn't inspired by the emotional music and all the references to other movies just seemed to fall flat. The film's big adventures didn't seem all that adventuresome or exciting.

If they wanted to make a dark comedy for adults, they marketed the film wrong, and definitely didn't put in very much dark comedy (although the potential was definitely there). If they wanted to make a kids' movie that adults would enjoy, they somehow missed that mark as well... Next time out I hope Dreamworks has a more coherent plan before they start "filming".

You know, there was a time in which we didn't candy coat stories for children. The Evil Queen in Snow White, for one, was forced to wear red-hot slippers and dance to her death. Even in older Disney films like "Bambi", the serious issue of death is broached.

Now, no one dies. It's too serious.

Horsehocky.

One of the best moments I had watching "Antz" in a theater was listening to a mother explain why Barbatus died. Guess what? Death is a natural part of life -- and to refute it exists is plain wrong. Or, as in the recent Disney flick "Hercules", Hades, the God of Death is portrayed as evil. (What, are people supposed to be immortal?)

While not appropriate for 4 year olds, I wouldn't think twice about showing it to an 8 year old. Why must movies be dumbed down -- PG means parental GUIDANCE. Any movie that forces you to talk to your kids after a movie is a good one. Don't treat your kids like little morons.

I was surprised that Dreamworks' first film would be one of their best. There are great characters and a surprisingly deep and satirical story with commentary on society. Many compare this to A Bug's Life and it's safe to say that Antz is better.

I had entered the theater with an open mind upon the opening of DreamWorks' initial animated feature, "Antz". Finally, I felt that there would be a perfect film for children. However, before the film was over, I was in a state of wonder how a film for children could be so inappropriate. Now, before you get "antzy" (sorry!), I'd like to note the entire toy collection of "Antz" figurines, clothing, action figures, and the like aimed at children under 7. In addition, the commercials for the film (which showed a festive dance and bright picnic scenery) were continually aired during young children's programs such as cartoons on FOX, NBC, ABC, etc. where only an imbecile wouldn't know that kids were watching. So naturally, any concerned parent would be skeptical over an MPAA rating of PG when the merchandise was aimed at a G audience.

The violence is quite appalling and the language pushes the PG rating. I don't disapprove of animated movies for adults (think Japanese anime), but when films can literally claim bloody murder and receive a PG rating, I find it completely and absolutely horrifying. When will film studios learn that a completely entertaining film can be created without profanity? Within every scene, the absolutely vulgar and horrific cast screams out a four letter word. Other family movies with PG ratings can produce quality work without uttering such pointless drivel such as "James and the Giant Peach", "Hook", and "Matilda". Compared to these traditional family films, "Antz" hardly measures up. And this barely touches upon the movie's punctured plot.

I was disappointed that such a promising company as DreamWorks would stoop so low to collect the final dollar. It's the parents which fork out the money for the film, most of which ADORE the violence and vulgarity...the perfect target. Where DreamWorks may have produced quality family fare, they spit out another traditional movie flop without the heart and warmth needed to be entertaining for the ENTIRE family.

Antz is rock-solid entertainment, and while it isn't as funny as Bug's Life, it has a great social message that Bug's Life lacks. I thoroughly recommend this movie, and the only criticism I have is that there are some scenes that young children might find frightening, like the fight between the ants and the big green bugs. The visuals are a delight, as well as the tightly-structured script.The story, while simple, is well-told, and is sensibly revolved around the life of Z, brilliantly voiced by Woody Allen. Sharon Stone was suitably feisty as Princess Bala, and Sylvester Stallone was a huge surprise as Weaver. Christopher Walken was also good, but it's the villain who steals the show, like Bug's Life. Gene Hackman's General was deliciously sinister, and quite complex, very similar to Kevin Spacey in Bug's Life(Hopper is SLIGHTLY better). All in all, a witty and charming film, that is recommended. 9/10. Bethany Cox

Antz, on it's own, would have been a good movie, if you enjoy Woody Allen's neurotic characters and self-depreciating one-liners. When held up to the same standard as "A Bug's Life", however, it's looks like a cheap immitation. I don't know how these movies spontaneously pop up -- like one year we get a pair of asteroid movies, the next, a pair of animated ant movies -- but "Antz" is worth seeing once. "A Bugs Life" is worth owning, you'll want to watch it again and again, uh, I mean your kids will want to watch it again and again.

Yeah, sure it's clever. The animation is terrific. But it's so formulaic and dry, you can go to the restroom, buy some popcorn, chat up the lady at the concessions stand, and then come back *and you haven't MISSED anything*.

I'll be the first to admit that this movie has the moments, and the animation is really breathtaking at times, but when are today's film-makers going to remember that it's PLOT, DIRECTING, and ACTING (or in this case voice-acting) that make a movie and not special effects?

The animation in this movie was computer-generated. It seemed like the screenplay was too.