Antz is a story of class struggle and the oppression of the masses, all for the gain of the few. It is told in a lighthearted, but deliberate manner, through the eyes of Z (Allen), one of the oppressed that attempts to break from the pack, and questions why everyone follows instead of being individual. He has a mind of his own, and ultimately strives to be more and to go farther than his 10 million other cohorts. This desire is fueled when he meets Bala, who is on the upper end of the scale. She has everything, but still strives to be independent and free. These two meet and their journey on a search for identity, and independence in a society that frowns upon it, begins. It is a simple, well-told story, which is easy to follow yet still delivers some important and lasting messages.

The animation here is incredible indeed, but not up to the par of A Bug’s Life. It was inevitable that the comparisons would come out between these two movies. They both deal with animated insects, in human situations. The animation in both is incredible, but that is where the similarities end. Antz has a stronger, clearer, more original story; it is definitely the smarter of the two movies. A Bug’s Life was tailored for a younger crowd, and succeeded in its easy, formulaic style. In my review of it, I stated that something was missing for me. I couldn’t, and still cannot, put my finger on exactly what that was. Antz has very little missing. It is smart, funny, well written, and entertaining. There are a few unnecessary scenes, and pointless little jibes, but otherwise, it was a truly entertaining film. You really do forget who the voices are as well, a good sign in animated movies. Usually, you tell me Woody Allen or Sharon Stone is in a movie, and I would avoid that like the plague. Put them together and I’d rather fold laundry in windstorm than watch. Here, however, they are faceless. They become their characters, smartly written, and easy to watch. Gene Hackman is powerful, and memorable as General Mandible (he just has that voice that oozes power and intensity like few others can). Stallone and his storyline are a weak link; I kept waiting for the ant version of Adrian to come save him from the dirt mines.