A Bug's Life

Plot synopsis:
A colony of ants living in the middle of a dry creek led by Princess Atta and her mother, the Queen, is oppressed by a gang of marauding grasshoppers that arrive every season demanding food from the ants. One day, after Flik, an individualist and would-be inventor, accidentally knocks the annual offering into a stream with his latest invention, a grain harvesting device, Hopper, the leader of the grasshoppers, demands twice as much food as compensation. When Flik suggests in earnest that they seek help from other stronger bugs, the other ants see it as an opportunity to be rid of him, and send him off.
At the "bug city" (a heap of trash under a trailer), the naive Flik mistakes a troupe of circus bugs who were recently fired by their money-hungry ringmaster, P.T. Flea, for the warrior bugs he seeks. The bugs, in turn, mistake Flik for a talent agent and accept his offer to travel with him back to Ant Island. During a welcome ceremony upon their arrival, the circus bugs and Flik both discover their mutual misunderstandings. The circus bugs attempt to leave, but are attacked by a bird; while fleeing, they save Dot, Atta's younger sister, gaining the ants' respect in the process. At Flik's insistence, they continue the ruse of being "warriors" so the troupe can continue to enjoy the hospitality of the ants. Hearing that Hopper fears birds inspires Flik to create a false bird to scare away the grasshoppers. Meanwhile, Hopper tells his gang the ants outnumber them considerably and worries that they will eventually rebel against them.
The ants finish constructing the fake bird, but during a celebration, P.T. Flea arrives searching for his troupe and accidentally exposes their ruse. Outraged by Flik's deception, the ants exile him and desperately gather food for a new offering to the grasshoppers. When the grasshoppers arrive to discover the mediocre offering, they take over the island, demanding the ants' winter store of food. After overhearing Hopper's intention to kill the Queen, Dot has Flik and the circus bugs return to the colony to help.
The circus bugs distract the grasshoppers and rescue the Queen before Flik pilots the bird; it initially fools the grasshoppers, but P.T. Flea, also mistaking it for a real bird, lights it on fire, exposing it as a decoy. Hopper beats Flik in retaliation and proclaims that the ants are lowly life forms who live to serve the grasshoppers. However, Flik responds defiantly, realizing that Hopper actually fears the colony, and inspiring the ants and the circus bugs to fight back against the grasshoppers. The ants attempt to evict Hopper from the island, but it suddenly begins to rain. In the ensuing chaos, Hopper kidnaps Flik and flees. After the circus bugs fail to catch them, Atta rescues Flik. As Hopper viciously pursues them, Flik lures him to the nest of the bird he encountered earlier. Assuming that the actual bird is just another fake one, Hopper taunts it but is caught and fed to one of her chicks.
In the spring, a few months later, Flik has improved his inventions and the quality of life for the colony, and Atta professes her love for him. Atta is crowned the new queen and Dot is second in line to the throne. The ants congratulate Flik as a hero and bid a fond farewell to the circus troupe, who promise they will return the following year.

Tags: psychedelic

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