Antz

Rating: 10/10 (9 March 2005)

Three years after the first full computer animated feature film, Toy Story, came out, came this charming and witty family adventure. Basically Z (a fantastic Woody Allen) is insecure, and feels insignificant among the other millions of ants in the colony. Meanwhile, Princess Bala (sexy sounding Sharon Stone) has a similar situation with the thought of replacing her Queen mother (Anne Bancroft), with the dastardly General Mandible (Gene Hackman) as her husband. One day she decides to get out into the workers world, and this is when Z and her meet in the bar, and he immediately has an attraction for her. He is desperate to see her again, and when he hears of a troop of soldiers that will meet the Queen, he asks he soldier friend Weaver (Sylvester Stallone) to take his place (and vice versa). He didn't realise they were going to war with giant acid-spraying termites, but after surviving, and watching his brief soldier friend Barbatus (Danny Glover) die, he gets back and sees Bala again. But after some arguments with General Mandible, Z and Bala are thrown down the garbage shoot and thrown into the outside world. But instead of going back to the palace, Z is eager to find the place a Drunk Scout (John Mahoney) told him about, Insectopia (from seeing what to look out for). Meanwhile, the General and his sidekick (turning nice) Colonel Cutter (Christopher Walken) are not just searching for Bala, but getting the workers to finish breaking through the underground (secretly) to drown them with the lake above. Also starring Dan Aykroyd as Chip the Wasp, Danny Glover, Jennifer Lopez as Azteca the worker, and Jane Curtin as Muffy the wasp. A Bug's Life may have had more people at the cinema, but this one certainly has more appeal with stars, wittiness and lovable characters, great family fun. It was nominated the BAFTA for Best Special Effects. Outstanding!