Antz (1998) 4 stars out of 4. Featuring voices of Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Sylvester Stallone, Gene Hackman and Chirstopher Walken.
Antz is a witty, entertaining story about conformity vs. individuality, the worth of the individual vs. the welfare of the whole and, of course, true love.
Oh, it's also about ants. And after seeing this computer-animated feature, you'll hesitate before trying to crush another one again.
Featuring an all-star cast of vocal talent, including Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Anne Bancroft, Gene Hackman, Sylvester Stallone, Dan Aykroyd, Danny Glover and Christopher Walken, to name just a few, the story will capture the interest of young and old viewers.
And the story is strong enough that you quickly accept that these are computer-created creatures and get totally involved in their insect lives and dreams.
Allen is Z, a worker ant who is tired of being like all the other workers. He tells his shrink that he "feels insignificant," to which the psychologist (voiced by director-actor Paul Mazursky) congratulates him on making a breakthrough. "You are insignificant," he explains to Z.
At a workers' bar, Z meets Princess Bala, who is slumming away from the palace. They dance, creating their own steps, thus breaking away from the others who are marching in step.
To see her again, the smitten Z trades places with Weaver (Stallone), a soldier ant. After a dress parade, the soldiers are sent by the mad Gen. Mandible (Hackman) to make war on the termites.
Z is the only survivor and is declared a hero.
Later, Z and Bala share many adventures and thwart Mandible's wild scheme to begin a new colony.
It's all fairy tale-like, but in a sense rather adult.
The script, by Todd Alcott and Chris and Paul Weitz, is droll and quirky, filled with many zingers and one-liners. The writing, especially that of Allen's Z, feels as if the writers watched most of Allen's films to get his vocal cadence and rhythms. In a sense, when Allen speaks, it almost sounds as if he wrote his own lines.
What makes Antz successful is that the performers take their roles seriously. Hackman sounds like a demented Patton, while Walken brings his usual creepy persona to his role as the general's aide.
Even Stallone has some fun as the soldier ant, who trades places with Z so he can meet some female workers.
Antz is a rewarding experience. It will enchant the children and rivet their attention. Adults will appreciate the movie's technique and humor.
It is truly a film for the entire family and a portend of the road the new Dreamworks studio is creating.
With this, Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan, and the upcoming Prince of Egypt, Dreamworks will be a Hollywood innovator.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, Ind. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com or at cbloom@iquest.net
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