Monday, October 3, 2011

A Bug's Life [G]

On Ant Island, the ants live in fear, harvesting food and offering it to a vicious gang of grasshoppers in return for so-called “protection”. Amongst them, lives an inventive ant named Flik who only wants to help, but finds himself shunned and outcast from the colony. After a monumental screw-up, Flik is sent off to search for “warrior bugs” that will help the ants fight the grasshoppers, so he goes off to the city and mistakes a ragtag team of circus performers for warriors. By the time Flik has brought the “warriors” home, it’s too late and Flik and his friends must come up with some plan to get rid of the grasshoppers, or the colony is doomed. 

This is another brilliant family film to come out of Pixar. Filled with dazzling animation, romance, comedy, and memorable characters, A Bug’s Life is another childhood classic of mine. 

On Ant Island, the ants live in fear, harvesting food and offering it to a vicious gang of grasshoppers in return for so-called “protection”. Amongst them, lives an inventive ant named Flik who only wants to help, but finds himself shunned and outcast from the colony. After a monumental screw-up, Flik is sent off to search for “warrior bugs” that will help the ants fight the grasshoppers, so he goes off to the city and mistakes a ragtag team of circus performers for fighters. By the time Flik realises his mistake, it’s too late and it’s up to Flik and his new friends to find a way to get rid of the grasshoppers or the colony is doomed. 

Like Toy Story and Finding Nemo, A Bug’s Life is good old-fashioned Pixar fun that the entire family can enjoy. The animation is absolutely brilliant and the personification of the ants and their way of life seems amazingly accurate. 
I think what makes these Pixar films to brilliant is the fact that they characterise everything so perfectly. In A Bug’s Life we have a flea that’s an annoying over-the-top circus announcer, a repressed and frustrated stick insect, an indulgent and simpering butterfly, a hungry German caterpillar, and (my personal favourite) a ladybug that’s actually male, but then gets in touch with his feminine side. The characterisation is all wonderfully clever and also very believable. I haven’t been that warmed towards insects since James and the Giant Peach. 
Featuring the voice talents of Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hayden Panettiere, Phyllis Diller, David Hyde Pierce, Brad Garrett, Jonathan Harris, Bonnie Hunt, and Madeline Kahn, A Bug’s Life is a wonderful family film packed with dazzling animation, comedy, action, and memorable characters. I absolutely love this film!

No comments:

Post a Comment