The Ant Bully

The Ant Bully **

I remember back in the day, when I was much younger, during the age of early Pixar, there would be an animated movie coming out three or four times a year. Maybe not even. It was an event. All of the little kids, and even many adults looked forward to it, and it was always an enjoyable family experience. Now, it's only a tool to make alot of money. I can't even count on one hand how many animated movies have come out this year alone. It has to be close to ten, and it's only Augest. Every single studio is making an animated unit-from Dreamworks, and even Sony Animation is coming out in September. And this wouldn't be bad, if it weren't for the fact that every single animated flick that's come out has just bee a retrend of something bigger and better. And the actual animation itself has been decreasing as well. There's a huge difference between the vibrant and beautiful world of "Cars," to the lesser world of "The Ant Bully." Sure, it's pretty to gaze at, but eventually this world gets old, and quick. Think of a combination of "Antz," and "Over the Hedge," two great family animated films.

"Ant Bully" takes us into the neighborhood of Lucas Nickle, a young little nerdish boy, clad with thick framed glasses, and button downed shirts. He is constantly picked on by other kids around him, who tell him the same thing: "There is nothing you can do about it, because I'm big and you're small." So, he decides to take out his anger and frustration on the only thing around that is smaller than he is: the ants. He takes his water gun, and sprays it on the colony. Little does he know, the ants actually have feelings and speak just like humans, and they have dubbed Lucas "The Destroyer." And to teach him a lesson, the wizard ant, Zoc, invents a potion that could make things shrink, and he puts it in Lucas' ear, making him the size of an ant. Ready to eat him, Zoc to stopped by the Queen ant, who tells everyone that instead of trying to destroy the "Destroyer," they should instead teach it the ways of the ant. And the ant that volenteers to help him is Zoc's girlfriend Hova. Eventually, they teach him important life lessons about diversity, and the importance of working together, no matter what species. It all leads up the final battle with Exterminator Stan Beales, who is prepared to get rid of all the insects on the entire lawn.

I might have enjoyed "The Ant Bully" if it wasn't exactly like some of the other animated films I've seen of late, especially when those take themselves seriously. It's very obvious that "The Ant Bully" was made as a ploy to make money, and it works to a point as an after school special. The morals and basics are pretty much gagged down your throat, and when its not all talky and full of lessons, the action scenes are pretty much like watching a video game. All of the action scenes, in a way, seem like filler, and many of them don';t advance the story at all. During a scene where story advancment is happening, it extends to seven or eight minutes for an action scene to talk place, and it's never satisfying. I suppose for visuals, "The Ant Bully" is alright, but not even that. It's biggest marketing scheme was the big names, but people shouldn't be fooled by the big red Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, and Nicolas Cage plastered on the posters. If you're looking for animation, there is much better fare out there, such as "Monster House," an original and entertaining children's flick. "The Ant Bully" is simply another retrend. Nothing special, nothing unique, and nothing very good.