Summer of Magic- "A Bug's Life"

Since its debut in 1995 with Toy Story, Pixar Animation Studios has continually set the standard for high quality film-making in animation. Whenever that standard is not reached, the detractors of Pixar come out in full force. We saw this most recently played out in the backlash from The Good Dinosaur. However, this is not a new concept. In 1998, Pixar had the impossible task of following up a genuine classic and game-changer in Toy Story. Pixar's second film, A Bug's Life, was met with rather mixed reviews as critics cited it as a step back from Toy Story. To this day, A Bug's Life is widely considered to be one of the studio's weakest efforts, but in my humble opinion, I think this film has received unfair criticism for far too long. Sure, it is not Pixar's finest hour, but it is far from their worst as well. In fact, I could argue that A Bug's Life is Pixar's most underrated film to date. While it is not as inventive or groundbreaking as Toy Story, A Bug's Life is still a fantastic film filled with excellent characters, a superb score, and gorgeous animation.

Pixar has always been known for their incredible characters, and in A Bug's Life, we encounter of host of insects that are fine Pixar creations. Our leading character, Flik, experiences a solid character arc from beginning to end, inspiring viewers to break through societal expectations and make a difference regardless of the potential barriers. Flik is the heartbeat behind the entire film. When he rejoices, we rejoice; when he fails, we feel his heartache. We find ourselves wholeheartedly rooting for him to succeed, which exhibits a remarkable job of characterization on the part of the crew from Pixar. Dave Foley also deserves credit for his vocal work with Flik as he brings the appropriate balance of manic and sincerity. The trio of ant leaders, Queen, Atta, and Dot, are great characters that all have adequate chances to shine throughout the film. The Warrior/Circus Bugs are scene-stealers, especially Francis (with some phenomenal voice work from Denis Leary) and Slim (David Hyde Pierce turning in a stellar performance as well). Each character is just brilliantly brought to life.

Perhaps one of Pixar's greatest creations, though, is our villain: Hopper. The animators have done exquisite job here by making Hopper intimidating before he even opens his mouth to speak due to his physicality. The minute detail of his eyes being two different colors goes a long way in firmly establishing his character as one to avoid messing with. The way Hopper walks is yet another small detail that adds so many layers to his menace. When Hopper does finally speak, though, he becomes an instant legend. Kevin Spacey's voice acting as Hopper is sensational. Unfortunately, Hopper is not afforded much screentime here, but when he is present, the film truly shines as Spacey is the perfect choice for this role. His brother/sidekick, Molt, is the perfect counterpart as Richard Kind, a Pixar favorite/legend, gives us a predictably hilarious performance. A Bug's Life works because of its characters.

Randy Newman's score in this film is vastly underrated. While not the most boisterous score from the studio, and there are certainly better scores in the Pixar canon, Newman's understated, yet timely score fits this film excellently. Furthermore, the animation is gorgeous in this film. The animators have clearly done their research in regard to these insects and their surroundings, and the final product is breathtakingly beautiful. The climatic chase scene with Hopper hunting down Flik in the middle of downpour is a masterclass in animation. Its simplicity is unrivaled and continues the glorious standard set by Pixar in Toy Story.

A Bug's Life is like Pocahontas in the sense that people dislike it just because it doesn't reach a certain standard. Just like I wrote in my review of Pocahontas, though, that should not disqualify the film from being deemed a great entry into the Pixar canon. A Bug's Life will never be considered Pixar's greatest film, but to put it in the same breath as Cars 2 is disrespectful to this amazing film. I remember watching this film when I was a child, and I was completely awestruck. As I have grown up, I remain awestruck. Do yourself a favor and give this one another shot. You may just find yourself moving it up your Pixar rankings.

Rating: 9/10

Historical Significance: During one iconic lunchtime conversation, Pixar legends John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, and Joe Ranft conceived the idea for A Bug's Life while Toy Story was in post-production in 1994. However, this was not the only story that was discussed during that meeting. The quartet also began discussing the stories for Toy Story 2 (directed by Lasseter), Monsters Inc. (directed by Docter), Finding Nemo (directed by Stanton), and Wall-E (also directed by Stanton). A Bug's Life was chosen for their second film because insects were within the reach of computer animation at the time. Lasseter was originally assigned to direct A Bug's Life solo, but he claimed that leading a new production by himself with Toy Story still in post-production could be detrimental to both films. Therefore, Stanton was brought on to co-direct the film, beginning a trend of co-directors helming films that would become a staple for Pixar.

Behind the Scenes: It is difficult to imagine anyone other than Kevin Spacey voicing Hopper, but he was not Pixar's first choice. John Lasseter wanted Robert De Niro for the role, and when De Niro declined, a number of other actors also declined the role. Lasseter ran into Spacey at the Academy Awards in 1996 where Toy Story received an honorary Oscar. Lasseter offered Spacey the role right there, and Spacey immediately agreed to provide the voice for the legendary villain. Some of Hopper's mannerisms, especially his hand gestures, were modeled after Steve Jobs, a major shareholder of Pixar. Furthermore, when it is referenced that Flik had an idea for a "tunnel within a tunnel," this is a sly reference to Jobs's "store within a store" concept.

Favorite Character: Hopper is one of my favorite characters in Pixar history. He doesn't appear in the film for a large amount of time, but when he graces the screen with his presence, he makes a tremendous impression. He is the archetypal villain. He is conniving, menacing, and, in the words of Molt, he's quite the motivational speaker. His two main scenes are spectacular and endlessly quotable ("The first rule of leadership: everything is your fault" and "It's not about food, it's about keeping those ants in line" are two of my favorite lines ever.) Kevin Spacey is sensational in this role. He is clearly having a blast reveling in the vileness of this character. A solid argument can be made that Hopper is Pixar's best villain, and I would have a difficult time disagreeing.


Favorite Scene: Keeping with the Hopper theme, my favorite scene is Hopper's introduction and encounter with the ants for the first time. Character development is expertly on display here for not only Hopper, but also Atta and Flik. Spacey, once again, steals the show. It's as if his House of Cards alter-ego of Frank Underwood has shown up in a Pixar film. Additionally, one of the highlights of the film is when Flik speaks out on Dot's behalf displaying his bravery. The following interaction between Flik and Hopper features incredible drama. In the grand scheme of things, this is a rather small scene, but every time I finish A Bug's Life, I remember this scene above the rest. It is truly amazing.

Updated Ranking: A Bug's Life is unfairly criticized by a majority of Pixar fans simply because it wasn't as good in Toy Story. Not many films are as good as Toy Story, though, so that should diminish the greatness found within A Bug's Life. That being said, I do rank it behind Pixar's first film.

1. Toy Story
2. A Bug's Life

Tomorrow, the Disney Renaissance comes to a close with one of the most underrated classics in the Disney canon: Tarzan!

-Cody Fleenor