I personally wouldn't like to say. Each has its own merits and both delivered
admirably.The award for the better script goes to Antz but A Bug's Life
wins in the enthusiastic screenplay category.
The computer graphics in A Bug's Life seemed a little better than
in Antz but I'd want to watch them both, back-to-back, before I
confirmed either as really ahead of the other.
Let's just say that both are excellent films and both should have a place on
the video shelf when they are released in that format. There is plenty of room
for two films in the computer animated ant section.
The creators of Toy Story, Pixar, have again chosen a strong lead
character around which to base their story, this time it's Flik, well meaning
but a bit of a liability to have around.
Following the worst possible disaster, Flick loses all the food the evil
grasshoppers demand as protection money, the colony is under pressure to
deliver the goods or suffer the consequences.
Flik sets off to find the bug world's equivalent of the seven samurai to save
the colony. What he finds is a band of circus bugs; very, very Disney in
character and style but, despite my usual hatred for such things, also
extremely tolerable and, for want of a better word, believable.
Of course, Flik saves the day and the grasshoppers are defeated; somewhat
nastily, in front of small children, I thought.
As I said; the animation was superbly executed, the plot credible, the pace
excellent and it all held together as an enjoyable action film. Perhaps it
was aimed at a younger audience but it was certainly enjoyable none the less.
The use of out-takes during the end credits was a brilliant idea and
were certainly hilarious.
The changing of these out-takes, during the film's run is less than
acceptable. Whilst I can appreciate distributors trying to maximise a movie's
audience attendance; this is nothing more than a, well thought out, attempt
to boost attendance figures and gross profit. Director's Cuts, maybe, this
is just commercial exploitation of the public who enjoyed the film. Biting the
hand that feeds is usually not a good idea.
Despite that complaint; it's good to leave a cinema feeling happy and
entertained. Well done Pixar.
