Pixar Retrospective: "A Bug's Life"
"A Bug's Life" (1998)
Directed by: John Lasseter
Starring: Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey
Pixar's second outing was likely a feat of a different type than their breakthrough hit, "Toy Story." Trying to achieve the success of that film was a challenge of itself, and they likely had to prove that the pixar name was lasting, not a one-time wonder. For their second feature, they turned to the miniature world of bugs. They crafted a world from the ground up, about how a small ant colony would function and live with the bigger creatures around them.
Flik is the main ant here, an innovator who isn't seen in the best light. After a catastrophe involving the loss of the colony's offering to the grasshoppers, led by the aptly named Hopper, he's sent on a mission to find some warriors to help defeat the grasshoppers. Unfortunately, he mistakes a traveling circus troupe for warriors, and bring them to the colony. After crafting a fake bird, their true status is seen, and the circus performers are sent off with a now exiled Flik. It takes Flik's determination, and the help of his new pals, to return and extinguish the grasshopper's plan for good.
I don't know if it's the classic status of "Toy Story," but the characters here aren't as endearing. They're all unique in their own right, but it's just not the same. The story is classic pixar, with moments of sadness, heartwarming goodness, and a happy ending. The world itself is also beautiful; the outdoor locations are breathtaking, especially in HD. I'm not quite sure why the ants are blue, however. There's not a human to be seen, but we know they exist, from the animal cracker box turned circus van, to the sombrero hat hideout of the grasshoppers.
The movie is still pure pixar, but it's a step below "Toy Story," to me. I really think it's because the "Toy Story" characters are just classic, and the ones here, while interesting, just aren't nearly as enduring. Still, a strong second effort from pixar, and one that cemented their status as the leading animation studio.
Directed by: John Lasseter
Starring: Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey
Pixar's second outing was likely a feat of a different type than their breakthrough hit, "Toy Story." Trying to achieve the success of that film was a challenge of itself, and they likely had to prove that the pixar name was lasting, not a one-time wonder. For their second feature, they turned to the miniature world of bugs. They crafted a world from the ground up, about how a small ant colony would function and live with the bigger creatures around them.
Flik is the main ant here, an innovator who isn't seen in the best light. After a catastrophe involving the loss of the colony's offering to the grasshoppers, led by the aptly named Hopper, he's sent on a mission to find some warriors to help defeat the grasshoppers. Unfortunately, he mistakes a traveling circus troupe for warriors, and bring them to the colony. After crafting a fake bird, their true status is seen, and the circus performers are sent off with a now exiled Flik. It takes Flik's determination, and the help of his new pals, to return and extinguish the grasshopper's plan for good.
I don't know if it's the classic status of "Toy Story," but the characters here aren't as endearing. They're all unique in their own right, but it's just not the same. The story is classic pixar, with moments of sadness, heartwarming goodness, and a happy ending. The world itself is also beautiful; the outdoor locations are breathtaking, especially in HD. I'm not quite sure why the ants are blue, however. There's not a human to be seen, but we know they exist, from the animal cracker box turned circus van, to the sombrero hat hideout of the grasshoppers.
The movie is still pure pixar, but it's a step below "Toy Story," to me. I really think it's because the "Toy Story" characters are just classic, and the ones here, while interesting, just aren't nearly as enduring. Still, a strong second effort from pixar, and one that cemented their status as the leading animation studio.
posted by DarthDooku at
6:59 PM
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