In spite of its predictability, it's a nifty story in the abstract, and Davis certainly makes the most of the opportunity to examine the world from an ant's-eye view ...
The Ant Bully (2006)
Tomatometer
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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 won't battle your Pixar collection for DVD shelf space for that matter, neither will Pixar's latest, Cars -- but nor will it have you staring at your watch.
With Monster House already being presented in 3-D at theaters worldwide, there isn't a single reason to recommend The Ant Bully.
An effortlessly clever animated confection directed by Jimmy Neutron creator John A. Davis.
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.
The Ant Bully is a sore disappointment to anyone hoping for a turnaround to the recent downward quality spiral of animated films. In fact, this movie may represent a new nadir for 3D animation.
You'll be wishing that you and your kids had something better to watch. Well, you do. It's called Monster House, and it's probably just one screen over.
The Ant Bully's just a little movie about a little guy who turns into a little bug for a little while, and learns some big things in the process -- and sometimes, a little can go a very long way.
first-rate animation, dizzying action sequences, and masses of imagination, but no real heart
This uneven high-concept animation begs for ideological comparison with the superior Antz, also set in ants colony. If in 1998 Woody Allen fought for freedom and non-conformity, this hero gets civic lessons about togetherness and collective welfare.
The animated version feels anonymously generic and charmlessly mechanical.
The Ant Bully exhibits little of the humanity that characterized Pixar's 1998 arthropod adventure A Bug's Life.
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