accessAtlanta

'The Ant Bully': Honey, they shrunk the fun

Don't bully others. If you are bullied, unite to overcome those who harass you. Ants have feelings too, so leave their colonies alone. And whatever you do, never relieve yourself and flood their hills with the yellow rain.

Warner Bros. Pictures 'The Ant Bully' B- The verdict: Well-meaning, message-laden but dull tale of shrunken kid trapped in an ant colony. Director: John A. Davis Starring: Lily Tomlin, Larry Miller, Julia Roberts, Zach Tyler Eisen, Cheri Oteri Run time: 88 minutes Release date: July 28, 2006 Rating: PG for some mild rude humor and action. See showtimes Know your ants With three animated ant films in eight years, you need a guide to this popular pest. On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'The Ant Bully'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

There are so many messages being imparted in director-writer John A. Davis' The Ant Bully that it often forgets to be entertaining above all. Although based on a book by John Nickle, it feels more like a cross between A Bug's Life and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Even with a stellar voice cast that includes Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Nicolas Cage and Lily Tomlin, the movie never rises above the level of a harmless cinematic babysitter.

Hassled by a neighborhood bully, young, runtish Lucas Nickle takes out his frustrations on the ants in his front yard, flooding them with hose water.

So, Wizard Ant Zoc (Cage) gets revenge by pouring a magic potion in Lucas' ear, reducing him to ant size.

Davis' computer animation has some fun imagining the perils of life from an ant's perspective, and what do you bet that teeny-tiny Lucas learns valuable lessons from his exposure to bug culture?