Overrated & over kids' heads

Rating: 6/10 (4 October 1998)

Apparently, Dreamworks studios thinks this computer-animated flick will appeal to different age levels a la "Rocky and Bullwinkle". However, I think it is too slow moving for the "Blade" set, too "adult" for younger teens, and too scary for pre-teens. And we're not talking "Roadrunner" violence, we're talking drownings, decapitations, manglings from a giant fly swatter,and an ant vs. termite battle scene which plays like an homage to "Starship Troopers" and Speilberg's "Saving Private Ryan". The movie seems to be both an endorsement and a condemnation of Communism. The working class revolts against the fascist monarchy, but then again, the revolution's leader, Z(Woody Allen), bemoans the abscence of free-will and individualism. There's even a visit to "Insectopia" that shows why the concept of "communal living" never survived the 60's. That's alot of Socio-political theorizing for a cartoon! But hey, there are light moments supplied by Woody's never-ending patter.And it's fun to pay Spot-the-Voice or even Spot-the-Product-Placement(Look Ma! Pepsi! Reebok!)