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Click above to purchase "Antz Signature Selection" at
amazon.com
Antz
Signature Selection
review by Zach B.
Rated PG
Studio: Dreamworks
Running Time: 83 minutes
With the Voices of Woody Allen, Sharon Stone,
Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Lopez, Gene Hackman,
Christopher Walken, Anne Bancroft, Danny Glover, Dan Akroyd,
Jane Curtain
Screenplay by Todd Alcott, Christ Weitz, Paul
Weitz
Directed by Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson
Retail Price: $34.99
Features: Commentary with Directors Eric Darnell and
Tim Johnson, Production Featurette, Basics Of Computer
Animation, Antz Facial Animation, Character Design, TV
Spots, Cast and Crew Bios, Production Notes, Theatrical
Trailer
Specs: 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, English Dolby
Digital 5.1, English Subtitles, Chapter Search (26
Chapters)
1998 was the year moviegoers saw double. First within a
few weeks at the start of the summer movie season there was
"Deep Impact" and "Armageddon", two movies about the
possible destruction of the Earth in part of a flying object
crashing down from space. In the Fall, it came together
again when "Antz" and "A Bug's Life" went head to head, two
movies about oppressed ants who want to rise up against an
opposing bad force... and each had a lot of bugs and
computer animated.
Still, Dreamworks beat Disney with "Antz". It launched at
the start of October of 1998, being pushed from a March 1999
date. The movie earned raves and was a great box office
success. While "A Bug's Life" was aimed more toward kids,
"Antz" focused on more adult themes, things that would fly
over the head of kids.
"Antz" is really a good movie for kids and adults alike,
but adults will likely get more out of it. The film follows
Z (Woody Allen), an ant who works for the colony, like so
many other ants. Z, however, is very insecure about who he
is and regularly sees a shrink. He just feels there is a
better life out there and more to experience. Things kick
into high gear when Z and his best friend, Weaver, (Sly
Stallone) switch places as workers and soldiers, and Z is
the sole survivor of a major war against termites. Z is a
hero, and sparks a revolution of some kind with what he did
and his ideas, mainly on free thinking. However, Z becomes
public enemy one when he is accused of kidnapping Princess
Bala (Sharon Stone) and ends up leaving the colony and
getting lost in the real world with her. They both must get
back and save the colony from the evil and manipulative
General Mandible (Gene Hackman).
"Antz" is a very strong and entertaining movie. Though
the trailer orgiinally turned me off (I didn't think it was
so clear about the movie), I saw it in the theater and did
like it. It makes a very good about being yourself and
thinking for yourself. It also has some pretty impressive
computer animation with great textures and colors. The
animation also flows really smooth. I mentioned the adult
jokes, but the script from the Weitz brothers ("American
Pie" creative team and stars of
Chuck
& Buck) and Todd Alcott is very strong, they all
have a good perspective. But the most impressive part for me
was the all star cast. Woody Allen doing the main voice?
It's all here, and he really carries the movie with his
neurotic charm. I heard he did the voice as a favor to his
old friend, Jeffery Katzenberg. Also in the cast is Sly
Stallone, Jennifer Lopez, Christopher Walken, Gene Hackman,
Danny Glover and Sharon Stone. Everyone actually pretty much
plays themselves in ant form, and all the voices are
excellent.
As far as which movie I like better, I don't know. Each
seem the same but are very different in many ways. I wish
things found in "Antz" were in "A Bug's Life" and vicey
versa. Each movie featured some stellar animation and
excellent voice acting, but I liked the flow better in "A
Bug's Life" and I felt some characters in "Antz" were
annoying. I also felt the movie went kind of slow, and
didn't live up to what it could have. Still, it does have a
lot and a very good story too, just like "A Bug's Life".
Don't get me wrong, "Antz" is really enjoyable and while
similar to "Bug's Life", it's also really different.
Dreamworks has put together a stellar package for this
movie, and it's worth owning.
You'd think this movie was a direct digital transfer, but
it's from an actual print and it's really, really
impressive. There's some small blemishs and dirt here and
there, but other than that, perfection. This is one clean
print. It really pops out and is really, really vibrant and
shows the movie's visual beauty so well (check out 00:06:03
and the whole wrecking ball scene). There's a lot of visual
textures to admire and a lot of bold colors. It's just
really striking and great to look at, especially the
sequences with some tricky lighting, those really shine. I
was blown away by this transfer and you will be too. The
movie is in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen (the extra
resolution does bring out more) like the box says, but the
disc itself says 2.35:1 in a stupid misprint. Oh well.
"Antz" has a very strong Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. The shoe
sequence, the chase with Bala and Z plus the cliamtic finale
bring a lot of tension, a great deal of directional effects
and surrounds. There are plenty of surround effects in many
scenes to really bring you into the ant colony and bug
world, to really make you feel part of the experience. This
track is really well mixed. I really liked the score in this
movie (from Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell). I wish
there was an isolated effects and an isolated music track.
This is one top notch mix. English subtitles are also
included.
An excellent Commentary With Directors Eric Darnell
and Tim Johnson is included. They're really warm and
really screen specific, and one of the best commentaries
I've had the pleasure of listening to. Once the movie
starts, they don't stop. They're really funny, energetic and
have a lot of to talk about. They make really good points
and have a lot of praise for their cast and crew, and seem
to be happy with the final product and had a blast working
on the film. Don't think, you must listen to this
commentary!
The Production Featurette has clips, interviews
with most of the voice actors (but no Allen, though he's
mentioned), and some behind the scenes clips. It's pretty
good, though pretty promotional. It also has information on
the computer animation. It's promo, but still a good watch.
Basics Of Computer Animation gives a more in depth
look at the CGI process than the featurette. It's pretty
interesting and informative. Darnell and Johnson offer a
commentary as they go through some key scenes. They show the
storyboards, rough computer animation, a build up of it and
the final animation. It's a lot like the Disney progress
demo reels which they show or you use the angle feature for.
Of course, this is like the reel. Still, Darnell and Johnson
offer good commentary yet again and it's interesting to see
the original boards to final product.
Antz Facial Animation also has commentary from
Darnell and Johnson, as they show a demo of how facial
expressions and layering of a character's face work, in this
case, Z. Short, but still interesting.
Antz Character Design is the third and final
featurette that has a commentary with the directors, and
they go through original concept art and how characters
evolved. It's over ten minutes and all concept art, and it's
pretty interesting to see what they were going for.
Round out the disc are four TV Spots, a Cast
List and Bios for Darnell and Johnson, nicely
written Production Notes (also in the keep case
insert) and the original Theatrical Trailer in full
frame and two channel sound.
"Antz" is geared more toward adults, but kids are still
to enjoy it. "Antz" is an excellent showpiece for your home
theater, and has some great extras that go pretty deep into
the movie's production. While the price is a bit high,
there's a lot here. If you liked this bug movie, you should
buy it.
 (3.5/5 - NOT included in
final score)
 (4.5/5)
(4.5/5)
 (3/5)
(3.5/5, NOT an average)
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