1001 Pattes

Several of Walt Disney Pictures' best animated films of recent years have been released or distributed through Pixar, an animation studio that specializes in computer generated animation and "A Bug's Life", their follow up to the hugely successful "Toy Story" ranks as one of the best and funniest Walt Disney Pictures animated films. Released during the same month as a similar computer generated animated film, "Antz", "A Bug's Life" suffers no bad comparisons because I consider it to be just as good as amusing as "Antz." The main focus of the film is Flik, a worker ant who has a very inventive mind and keen eye for detail. He means well but his attempts at helping his fellow ant colony with his ideas and inventions usually cause accidental disaster. One day, the ant colony set up a tribute display for a bad grasshopper named Hopper and his gang but Flik accidentally knocks it down. Hopper is very upset by this and he threatens to kill off the entire colony if they don't build him another provisions pile by the time he inspects the area again. Flik decides to help. He has only a few days to find some "warrior" bugs that can stand up to Hopper and his gang. He comes across a group of disgruntled bugs that had just been fired from their gigs at a flea circus. Flik decides to bring them back to the colony and recruit them as warrior bugs. An inventive idea for a children's film with much of the same humor and ideas that helped to make "Toy Story" an animated classic.

This is a FUNNY film. It has all the usual Disney components (music, great range of characters, story, appeal), entwined with superb animation and the excellent voice talents of less well known actors as those in say "Antz" and "Price of Egypt".

The characters work really well, and have a strong appeal, and the humour is aimed at a wide level which overcomes generational barriers. The movie is also presented in superb cinemascope format, which adds to the cinema experience.

Call me crazy, but I have seen the film three times, and I intend on taking more friends to see it this weekend. Many skeptics have seen this film on my recommendation and not been disappointed. I work in a multiplex, and I can honestly say that no-one has ever walked out of this movie without a sense of satisfaction.

See it, and don't be put off because it is animated. You are sure to enjoy this movie, and make sure you stay for the end credits! The bloopers and out-takes at the end are the funniest part of the film, which is packed with laughs throughout.

I thought this was the most sophisticated animation I have ever seen, 2-D or 3-D. The bird attack and the rain storm scenes were unbelievable. The bloopers were a riot!

But again Hollywood pumps out a high-gloss, low-impact movie. For all its beauty, it was a pretty ho-hum story. They could have really played up the Seven Samurai angle by offering a more in-depth, poignant view of the life of these oppressed ants. Perhaps tugged on the heart-strings a little more. I found myself almost rooting for the grasshoppers against these simple, whining ants. A little more character development could have made this the greatest animated feature of all time.

Although consistently entertaining, A Bug's Life fails to deliver on all accounts, by feeling more formulaic overall than its own interesting concepts sprinkled throughout. The film can be very humorous at times, but can also vary on the border of being overly-goofy and in result, some jokes do fall quite flat. The animation, although not as great as its work shortly before, is quite good and full of vibrant color, which makes it very easy on the eyes. The music in the film is really good, with Randy Newman providing a stellar soundtrack, as he always does. The voice work is fairly impressive, with the circus bugs taking the lead in terms of voice work and in character development. The circus bugs are often the best part of the film, and their humor seems rather genuine and their story very engaging, unlike some tropes used earlier with the ants themselves. However, the ant Dot in the film can prove to be quite an adorable change of pace throughout, and stole the show in every scene she was in. In the end, A Bug's Life is far from Pixar's greatest work, but is a mildly enjoyable time. It has a wonderful cast of supporting characters, and is full of vibrant colors, and a score that is very easy to listen to. My Rating: 8.75/10

The strongest point of every Pixar movie I've seen is that they all have heart. While the excellent colourful animation has been consistent in quality, it's the soulful stories and memorable characters that we love and return to with each viewing. 'A Bug's Life' has always been on my to-watch list and I finally bought the DVD yesterday. It's already become a favourite after first viewing. The animation is beautifully detailed and the motion is brilliant. Not only are the characters wonderfully illustrated but also the background is given plenty of detail. Moreover these characters are so adorable as they are superbly brought to life that you'll fall in love with them. The voice cast that includes talents like Bonnie Hunt, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Dave Foley and Richard Kind do a great job. Clearly, Pixar does not depend on stars (unlike Dreamworks) and they rather focus on the material by creating it with heart. 'A Bug's Life' is another winner from Pixar that I'll very likely be revisiting again and again.