Antz

1998 | Animation | In English | 83 minutes

Info

Z is the name of a neurotic working ant in an anthill with millions of inhabitants. He meets the ravishing Princess Bala, a much more refined ant. As Z revs up his efforts to woo Bala, he antagonizes General Mandible, Bala’s fiancé. Mandible wants to divide the ant society into three groups: a strong race, an inferior race, and a race to be eliminated. To do this he plans a coup against the reigning queen, declaring that an encroaching termite colony is ready to invade. Z, seeking to impress Bala, joins the army. The termites defeat the ants and the only survivor is Z. Meanwhile, Mandible continues his campaign to overthrow the queen. Aware of what’s going on, both Z and Bala escape to Insectopia, a place where the streets are paved with decaying food. Bala quickly realizes marrying Mandible is not a good idea. After many close calls and terrifying moments, Mandible is killed and Z is praised for his heroism. The new community will now value everyone equally. Z and Bala marry as the camera reveals that this wild story all took place in the middle of New York’s Central Park.

Cast (voices)

Woody Allen (Z) / Sharon Stone (Bala) / Anne Bancroft (the Queen) / Gene Hackman (Mandible)

Why Stream This Film?

Probably not for kids under 12-years of age. But for everyone else, it’s an enormously witty, animated film. Woody Allen is in character as the voice of the neurotic Z. Fed up with working so hard for the ant colony, he whines to the ant psychiatrist, “Well, what about my needs?”

Rotten Tomatoes Score (Critics Consensus) 93% 93%
Metacritic Score 72% 72%

Accolades

Gene Siskel Best Films of 1998—#7
American Film Institure (AFI)—Top 10
British Academy Film Awards—Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects

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Sharp and funny. Not a children’s movie, but one of those hybrids that works on different levels for different ages. The visuals are joined to a screenplay with wickedly amusing dialogue and lots of cross-references to current culture.

Roger Ebert

rogerebert.com

Computer animation has advanced to the point where it can make a cute romantic couple out of Woody Allen and Sharon Stone. Its shrewd computer animators have great fun seeing the world from an ant’s point of view.

Janet Maslin

The New York Times

Antz is a humongous animation event that ratchets up the level of computer art that Hollywood is swooning over these days. Teens and adults will latch on to the film’s urbane wit, relishing the focus on a lowly worker ant with an obsessive drive to change his status.”

Peter Stack

San Francisco Chronicle

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