The story starts with the main ant of the story, Z, telling the pyschologist about his problems. It is from here we learn that he is an unhappy worker and that is bored with his daily routine. All the worker ants are digging a new tuel under the supervision of General Mandible. In fact Z gets so worried and tense that he causes accidents and problems. One of these being when all of the ents cling together to form a giant (for ants anyway) wrecking ball. Z is one of the links in the chain holding up the ball. But being Z, he panics and lets slip the ant below him causing the entire ant-ball to crash to the floor of the tunnel.
That evening Z is at the bar with his good friend the soldier ant, Weaver. Z is explaining to Weaver how he is fed up with everything being done "by the numbers". He wants to be different some how. Even when the rest of the ants dance in the bar, they all dance in the same slow routine. Then Princess Bala walks into the bar. Her two hand maidens are trying to persuade the princess to leave as she shouldn't be there but she wats a little fun for a change.
Noone notices Bala enter the bar, because everyone is facing the other way with their slow dance. She notices Z who is the only one not dacing, sitting by the bar. She asks Z if he would like to dance and he enthusiastically agrees. When they reach the dance floor, Z dances differently to the others. He's jumping around with energy. Bala is confused but soon joins in. Z claims people should be different. Why should everyone dance the same, its boring. After the dance, Bala gives a peck of a kiss to Z and leaves. It is at that moment Z realises he must see her again.
Z sneeks around to Weavers resting place that night and convinces him that they must swap places. This is because there is a big military parade tommorrow and Proncess Bala will be there. It will be the only way Z can see her again. Weaver reluctantly agrees and they swap places. The trouble has only just started.
This film was produced by a compay called PDI, and there work is fantastic. This film looks absolutely brilliant. It must be some of the best CGi work to date. PDI apparently used a technique where the actors faces were incorparated into the ants faces. It does sort of work, and it makes it easier to make out which ant is which.
The voice casting is excellent. Not only is it fun to listen to the well written dialogue but trying to recognise which ant has which voice. The easiest one is of course Woody Allen as Z. The perfect paranoid, troubled ant. Danny glover who plays an old battle hardened soldier. Others are are a little harder to spot, for instance it was only towards the end of the movie, I realised who Christopher Walken was.
Once again this is a brilliant movie which I think appeals more to the adults than the kids. But all age groups will find something to enjoy in this movie.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Action/Adventure - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Jack Ging, Marla Heasley, Lance Legault, Melinda Culea, Mr T, Dwight Schultz, Dirk Benedict, George Peppard, Carl Franklin
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
Jan 30th, 2001
very helpful by (100%):
