A humorous piece of Communist propaganda

Rating: 6/10 (25 October 1998)

While it is a fairly humorous film, Antz relies too heavily on Woody Allen's magnificent talent. Although not written by Allen, his dialogue resembles that found in classics such as Annie Hall, etc. His sharp wit carries a movie that is otherwise lackluster and dull.
The movie, unfortunately, has a rather deficient plot. It is merely a poorly constructed communist diatribe masquerading as a fun, family film.
Allen's character, Z, is thrust into the role of Marxist leader after accidentally kidnapping the Queen's daughter, who is, for some reason, engaged to an ant general. The writers, while trying to create a realistic ant colony atmosphere, seem to have forgotton that queen ants' larva are fertilized by many male ants, and have no meaningful relationship with any one.
It is decided that Z is a great leader, because he refuses to accept his role as a worker. It seems that the ant rulers are horrible, oppressive autocrats who have enslaved the entire colony, imposing their will upon the voiceless workers. Phrases such as "the workers control the means of production" are uttered as the ant colony tries to expel the evil General.
Z repeatedly declares that is is essential for ants to be allowed to think individually, and that an ant's status ought not be determined at birth.
Eventually, of course, the workers triumph over the evil General, and a just society is supposely established. Ironically, they achieve their sovereignty by forming a large ladder, comprised of unidentifiably, generic ants. In the end we see the great ant colony, in which individuality is prized and freedom prevails. It is merely a faceless mass, an undistinct cluster of undifferentiable insects.
Woody Allen shines in this movie, but it is truly a one man (or one ant) show. Go for the humor, but do not expect anything more.