Z la formica

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'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.

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

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.

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.