All-star cast adds spice to another bug's life

Robert Denerstein, Rocky Mountain News

Friday, July 28, 2006

He wears goggle-size glasses, and his attitude flat-out stinks. When a bully picks on him, he takes his anger out on helpless ants, flooding anthills in furious acts of spite.

Nope, the 10-year-old main character of The Ant Bully doesn't exactly endear himself to an audience. Clearly, he's a kid who needs a lesson, and The Ant Bully is out to teach him (and us) one.

Thanks to a less-than-inspired plot twist (it involves a wizard ant and some magic potion), our hero (Zach Tyler Eisen) becomes the incredible shrinking boy. He's reduced to ant size and taken into the colony, where he must learn to appreciate insect life. If you want to get a bit grander about it, he learns to respect life.

Ants have an ethos: Selfishness is out; cooperation is in. Everyone has a function; each ant supports the colony by dutifully carrying out his assignment.

To bring this kiddie tale to life, director John A. Davis has assembled a terrific array of adult voice talent. Meryl Streep does the voice for the queen of the colony; Nicolas Cage signs on as Zoc, the ant who whips up the magic potion; and Paul Giamatti shows up as Stan Beals, a gleefully disheveled exterminator.

Not enough star power? Julia Roberts gives a major voice performance as Hova, the ant who agrees to instruct young Lucas in acceptable ant behavior, which also happens to have implications for humans.

The story begins typically enough. Lucas' parents (Cheri Oteri and Larry Miller) take a Mexican vacation, leaving Lucas in the care of his wacky grandmother (Lily Tomlin), a woman who's constantly on guard against alien invaders.

Most of the time, story trumps humor, but the animation boasts some definite high points: furious wasp attacks, daring forays into Lucas' kitchen, and an elaborate underground colony where the ant characters come to life. Yes, that's Ricardo Montalban's voice coming out of the mouth of the head of the ant council, or some such position.

Although individual scenes have distinctive flavor, the story pretty much heads in predictable directions, with the script hammering home its message of cooperation long after we've gotten the point.

Say this for Davis, he sticks to his guns. He uses the ants (who have striking mask-like faces) to make points about the value of sacrifices made for the greater good.

The Ant Bully probably won't be as widely appealing as either Antz or A Bug's Life, both of which were released in 1998. And the movie, which was adapted from John Nickle's book, may never be enshrined in the top ranks of animation. But it's strong enough to keep younger children from getting (you'll pardon the expression) antsy - and that alone should keep parents happy.