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The Ant Bully (2006)
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Reviews Counted:111
Fresh:70
Rotten:41
Average Rating:6.2/10
Consensus: Sometimes inventive and witty, this animated adventure into an ant-sized world is a pleasant diversion.
Theatrical Release:Jul 28, 2006 Wide
Box Office: $28,133,159
Synopsis: A young boy learns the importance of teamwork and gains self-confidence in this animated feature written and directed by John A. Davis (JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS), and based on the book by John... A young boy learns the importance of teamwork and gains self-confidence in this animated feature written and directed by John A. Davis (JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS), and based on the book by John Nickle. Misfit Lucas (Zach Taylor Eisen) doesn't have any friends and suffers daily at the hands of the neighborhood bully. Lucas's mother (Cheri Oterie) might call her 10-year-old "Peanut," but to the ants inhabiting the colony in his front yard, Lucas is "the Destroyer." Lonely and frustrated by his small stature, Lucas repeatedly takes his aggressions out on the colony, leaving the ants running for their lives. Tired of the unprovoked attacks, Zok (Nicolas Cage), an ant wizard, devises a potion that will shrink the Destroyer down to their size so that he can stand trial for his actions. Soon, Lucas is ant-sized and sentenced to live among the ants where he has to learn their ways in order to earn his freedom. Zok's ever cheerful girlfriend, Hova (Julia Roberts), becomes Lucas's mentor, teaching him the ways of the ant world and helping him gain a whole new perspective. He begins to understand the meaning of teamwork and how working with others can help an individual accomplish great things. He also learns that danger lurks everywhere for an ant: killer wasps, hungry frogs, even sunlight reflected off a mirror can mean certain death. Even worse, before being shrunk, Lucas was tricked into signing a contract with a slimy exterminator, Stan Beals (Paul Giamatti), who will soon be returning to destroy the colony unless Lucas can find a way to stop him. An amusing, smart script and likeable characters are hallmarks of this pleasant romp through a secret underground world. Meryl Streep voices the ant Queen, while Lily Tomlin is Mommo, Lucas's grandmother, and Ricardo Montalban is the Head of the Ant Council. [More]
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Bruce Campbell, Paul Giamatti, Allison Mack
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Bruce Campbell, Paul Giamatti, Allison Mack, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Cheri Oteri
Director: John A. Davis
Director: John A. Davis
Producer: Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, John A. Davis
Composer: John Debney
Studio: Warner Bros.
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Reviews for The Ant Bully
The Ant Bully, the latest computer-animated plea for interspecies understanding, provides a few moments of inventiveness and wit.
With Monster House already being presented in 3-D at theaters worldwide, there isn't a single reason to recommend The Ant Bully.
first-rate animation, dizzying action sequences, and masses of imagination, but no real heart
[It's] a rousing adventure capped with just the right measure of sweetness... John A. Davis shows heaps of invention.
Kiddie-friendly toilet humour, a whiff of suspense and familiar voice actors make it passably entertaining, but there’s little warmth or emotional satisfaction to be had from its cynical characters.
The Ant Bully, in trying to match Antz or A Bug's Life, just digs itself into a big hole.
In a year when already we've been treated to a wonderful collection of animated films The Ant Bully is a delightful addition. It teaches us a lesson about acceptance without it cramming it down our throats.
Here's something I haven't felt from a CG animated film so far this summer: pure delight. Ant Bully supplies this sensation over and over again.
Isn't clever or inventive enough to make up for its repetitive and lackluster storytelling.
Like the insect world it depicts, The Ant Bully, based on John Nickle's book, is neatly structured and cohesive, but a little small-scale.
If your kids bully you into seeing this movie, do yourself a favor and check it out in 3D. The movie gets extra points when seen through those glasses.
A computer-animated gem as ingenious as a children's book you don't mind reading aloud again and again.
The Ant Bully is fun to look at, and Lucas' recognition of the strength in numbers leads to solid character growth.
The new computer-animated movie, "The Ant Bully," knows a few things about bullies, most of which we already know--all of which bear repeating.
The Ant Bully is never less than colorful and high-energy. But it's hard to shake the feeling that we've all gone up this hill before.
[T]he movie certainly means well, and its worthwhile message (teamwork is good, selfishness is bad) should penetrate the brains of kids old enough to stay in their seats and pay attention to it.
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