Directors: Andrew Stanton and John Lasseter
(Please Note: We know that Cars isn’t that good a movie. We’ve forgotten it. Let us never speak of it again.)
Anytime someone say’s “Pixar shits nothing but SOLID GOLD!” everyone’s eyes turn downwards and people shuffle their feet. The silenceis always be broken by one swarmy movie-geek-king/queen who speaks only because he thinks it will win him coveted points “What about the BUG movie?” he says “Isn’t that a crappy film?” I’m ashamed to admit I’d usually agree. I had only seen the film once in cinemas as a child and it never left a big impression on me so I disregarded it with a snobbish snort. No one is perfect so let us laugh at their failure!
But…
Toy Story, Monsters INC, Finding Nemo: All of those got continuous play. How could Pixar foul up with A Bugs Life? It was even directed by Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, Wall-E) and John Lasseter (Toy Story, Cars and THE PRESIDENT OF PIXARRRRGH!)! How could it FAIL!?
I decided to give it a second chance. I slowly, with shaky hands, hit play on my remote contro land gritted my teeth. The eternal question would finally be answered:
Why has “A Bugs Life” been spit on, kicked and not been invited to the Friday night get-to-getters?
Every year, a bunch of grasshoppers come to the anthill and eat what the ants have gathered for them. The "offering", as the ants call the ritual, is a part of their fate. One day in spring, when the offering's preparation has just been finished, Flik, unliked inventor ant, accidentally drops the whole offered seeds into the river. The grasshoppers come and give the ants a second chance to collect food until fall. Flik sets off to find bugs that are willing to fight the grasshoppers (nobody expects him to succeed anyway) and, due to a double misinterpretation, returns with a circus crew, giving everybody new hope. When the misunderstanding finally gets cleared out, there is only little time left for a new plan, which has to work, or else... Written by Julian Reischl {julianreischl@mac.com}
Is it because of the lack of a recognizable star studded voice-cast?
Toy Story had Tom Hanks and Tim Allen. Monsters INC had John Goodman and Billy Crystal. Aall we have here are a few B-Listers at the most…but…they all do a fantastic jobs! Dave Foley’s slight feministic twinge is perfect for the noble but physically meek protagonist. Flick The cast of Circus Bugs (Voiced by Dennis Leary and David Hyde Pierce) mesh with their characters perfectly and I never had a “Hey! It’s that guy from that show that’s kinda popular!” dis-connect moment. It dosen’t matter how much they get paid all that matters is that they make you believe in what’s happening on screen. Even Kevin Spacey (Arguably the most recognizable voice) stretches his villain skin over the evil grasshopper gang-leader and adds enough menace to hate his guts.
Is it because the animation looks stale and dated?
Animation can be IN YOUR FACE 3D, SMELL-O-VISION and BURN-YOUR-FACE while it provides you a skilled back massagesA ND still suck ass if you don’t relate to the characters and the world they live in. Pixar has always had the cream of the animation crop and there’s no slumming here. The world is vibrant, alive and filled epic moments for a technology that was still shaking off its placenta (The Rain, The Final Chase, The Grass-Hoppers Arrive are all fully realized cinematic moments). You can have all the fantastic scenery in the world but the success will always lie in the characters themselves. No complaints here. Everyone on screen twitches, roll their eyes and flail all their appendages so convincingly (and without the forced business that plagues most animated film) that you can’t help but feel their real organic people…uh…bugs.
Is it because the story sucks ass? It HAS to be that? We need a reason to MOCK IT!
No…and…Yes. The Seven Samurai Redux is done with skill and class but it fails at one important point: It doesn’t involve you emotionally. I cared if the ants defeated the grasshoppers but I was never worried or thrilled. It works as above average entertainment and provides strong characters but it never really gets under your skin. It also suffers from keeping way too good company, You never feel for Flick’s troubles as deeply as you do those of Woody’s in the Toy Story films or the love for a child in Monsters INC. The message of “All we need to do is believe and stand together” is a good one, but it’s presented here too broadly to completely envelop me as a viewer and make them care. If anything, I consider this a Pixar test-run on a few new ideas. They figured out what works and what doesn’t and that’s why there are a few speed bumps.
In conclusion *clears throat* A Bugs Life is right outside the door of classic status. It has the characters, the storytelling artistry and the re-watch ability…but it doesn’t have an emotional connection with the audience. Add it to your collection, it’s worth it, but don’t expect another Wall-E.
Well…At least it’s better than Cars. Damn. That was too easy. I'm sorry.
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