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

Colour:

Colour (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:

Z's line "I was going to include you in my erotic fantasies" was originally "I was going to include you in my most erotic sexual fantasies", but was shortened to retain a PG rating. In the German dubbed version the "sexual" is included. The line was from a spider sketch called "What Causes Homosexuality?" which was cut from Allen's Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972). Woody Allen was going to use that line as Louise Lasser was about to eat him -- the sketch was never used because Allen couldn't think of a way to end the scene. Since the sketch was not used, the writers got a hold of the line and, realizing the irony (spiders, ants), had Allen's character (Z) state it.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Water changes its scale at various times during the movie. Sometimes, it features surface tension consistent with the scale of the ants, then at others acts like water on the scale of humans (ie. the flood scene). The directors acknowledge this discrepancy.

Quotes:

Barbatus: Don't make my mistake, kid. Don't follow orders your whole life. Think for yourself.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas' (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Guantanamera

Antz isn't as perfect and smooth as a Disney film. Great!

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.