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Movies / On DVD / The Ant Bully
The Ant Bully

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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.

Rated: U [See Full Rating] for some mild rude humor and action

Runtime: 89 mins

Genre: Childrens

Theatrical Release:04-08-2006

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

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1 - 20 (sorted by comments; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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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.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
08/12/06
Anna Smith
Anna Smith
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It all seems very workaday.

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
08/12/06
David Edwards
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]

Enjoyable, brightly animated adventure with strong characters, superb gags and a script that isn't afraid to throw in a spot of political subtext.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
08/12/06
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Just another bug movie.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
08/12/06
Neil Smith
Neil Smith
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

As kiddie entertainment it works well, with simple humour and lots of action. But there’s not a lot to appeal to any accompanying adults.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
08/12/06
Olly Richards
Olly Richards
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Writer-director John A Davis has one or two nice touches, but the film is disposable.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
08/12/06
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Besides keeping us entertained and occasionally thrilled, there's a nice sense that the film is actually saying something.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
08/12/06
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch | comment Comment
08/12/06
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
09/29/06
Sydney Morning Herald

The Ant Bully, the latest computer-animated plea for interspecies understanding, provides a few moments of inventiveness and wit.

comment Comment
07/27/06
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

With Monster House already being presented in 3-D at theaters worldwide, there isn't a single reason to recommend The Ant Bully.

Full Review Source: Juicy Cerebellum | comment Comment
07/27/06
Alex Sandell
Alex Sandell
Juicy Cerebellum

first-rate animation, dizzying action sequences, and masses of imagination, but no real heart

Full Review Source: Killer Movie Reviews | comment Comment
07/25/06
Andrea Chase
Andrea Chase
Killer Movie Reviews

[It's] a rousing adventure capped with just the right measure of sweetness... John A. Davis shows heaps of invention.

comment Comment
07/28/06
Andrea Gronvall
Andrea Gronvall
Chicago Reader

...visually OK, with a number of clever lines...

Full Review Source: Los Angeles CityBeat | comment Comment
07/27/06
Andy Klein
Andy Klein
Los Angeles CityBeat

The Ant Bully, in trying to match Antz or A Bug's Life, just digs itself into a big hole.

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
07/27/06
Bill Muller
Bill Muller
Arizona Republic

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.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
07/28/06
Bill Zwecker
Bill Zwecker
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
11/20/08
Brian Marder
Brian Marder
Hollywood.com

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.

Full Review Source: FilmJerk.com | comment Comment
07/28/06
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
FilmJerk.com

Isn't clever or inventive enough to make up for its repetitive and lackluster storytelling.

Full Review Source: UGO | comment Comment
03/24/07
Brian Tallerico
Brian Tallerico
UGO

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.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
07/28/06
Bridget Byrne
Bridget Byrne
Boxoffice Magazine
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by comments; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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