Review of The Ant Bully (2006) by Bryanbezter — 30 Apr 2020

Great things about the movie:

1. The story is great, the world-building is beautiful, movie is hilarious and entertaining.

2. The character development is perfect.

3. Awesome voice cast, great performances by Julia Roberts as Hova, Nicolas Cage as Zoc, Meryl Streep as The Queen Ant, Paul Giamatti as Stan Beals, Zach Tyler Eisen as Lucas Nickle, Regina King as Kreela, Bruce Campbell as Fugax, and the rest.

4. Great lessons: teamwork and fight against bullying.

5. Beautiful music.

Debatable holes:

1. When Lucas was fleeing from the wasps into the grass, how could he be stranded alone?

2. How did the colony know that Lucas was the one who caused the wasps to flee? He was alone and the ants were hiding.

3. Lucas and friends could stay up in the air by hand-gliding long enough. They even got a tour across the rooms.

4. How could Lucas lift a wasp? How could he climb vertically?

5. Does ant feel pain and ticklish? But for the sake of the movie, it worked.

6. The frog tongue was supposed to be fast enough to catch its prey.

7. The fogging should have affected the wasp leader (and Lucas).

Messages from the movie:

1. A great teamwork of a group of 'small' (or weak) people can even defeat a bigger (or stronger) one. The team must understand and believe in each other to reach common goal, leverage their differences and solve the problem. Teamwork has become the ants' culture. To see a human and ants can work together, even with the help from wasps, a beetle and a glowworm.

2. The concept of teamwork and determination can put bullying to an end.Bullies are usually victim of bullying, and they do the same to feel strong and dominant. It is ironic that the cycle keeps going. It requires trust, guidance and chance to change the heart and mindset of a bully, like how Hova gave to Lucas.