Small creatures big fun for kids, adults
If you were ever yelled at by your boss all day so you were tempted to go home and kick the family cat, you can relate to nerdy Lucas Nickle (voice of Zach Taylor) in the animated film “The Ant Bully.”
This isn’t a classic, animated film. You won’t mistake it for “Pinochio” or “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
But it’s a fun little film that has some beautiful scenes in Blu-Ray, but not a lot of surprises.
Lucas is a puny kid with glasses bigger than his face. He is constantly pummeled by a big bully, who makes no bones about the fact he bullies because he can.
So upset Lucas turns to an ant colony to release his frustrations. At one point he tries drowning them with the hose, another time stomping them with his foot.
There doesn’t seem to be an fatalities, but the ants aren’t happy.
Lucas’ antagonist is played by Nicolas Cage. He is an ant who is able to conjure up a potion which turns Lucas into the size of an aunt.
But before this happens, Lucas is tricked by sleazy, cigar-chomping Stan Beals (voice of Paul Giamatti) into signing a contract for Stan’s exterminating business. Lucas’ parents are off on vacation and he is left with his spaced-out sister and whacky grandmother, who spends the movie warding off aliens and losing her teeth.
After Lucas is shrunk, he gets to know the ants, including the lovely Hova, who becomes his mentor. She is played by Julia Roberts.
The story is pretty much by-the-numbers. He learns these aren’t just tiny creatures, but living, breathing beings who can climb straight up a wall.
He goes on adventures with them, including a trip inside his home, seeking “sweet rocks,” better known as jelly beans.
A particularly suspenseful segment has Lucas being chased by a bullfrog who eventually slurps him up. Poor Lucas ends up slimed inside its stomach.
As you can tell, this film has all the elements to keep kids happy. There’s suspense, there’s slime, there’s the inevitable flatulent and bathroom jokes and more.
Kids can relate to Lucas’ mom who is just, well, too motherly. She calls her son “Peanut.”
(Ironically, Mom calls him Peanut because he is small. The ants can see why she uses the term, because to them, peanuts are so big.)
It has easily-defined villains. Giamatti is instantly recognizable as the villainous exterminator, who has all kinds of poisons ready to create genocide on the poor aunts.
Kids can relate to the bullying, from one side or another.
There’s really nothing wrong with the film, except a lot of it has been done before.
But the animation is more than acceptable and there are plenty of funny scenes.
Sorry, every time Grandma dropped her teeth, I laughed.
Even Meryl Streep makes a cameo as the queen ant.
The film is entertaining for adults too, although kids may enjoy it a bit more.
That’s no small order.
Read more Viper columns at videoviper.blogspot.com.
Ant Bully • Directed by John A. Davis, written by Davis and John Nickle • Runtime: 88 minutes • Rated PG for mild rude humor and action • 3 stars out of 5
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