A Bug's Life
Metascore
77 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
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  1. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Peter Stack
    100
    One of the great movies -- a triumph of storytelling and character development, and a whole new ballgame for computer animation. Pixar Animation Studios has raised the genre to an astonishing new level.
  2. Salon.com
    Reviewed by: Janelle Brown
    100
    It's impossible not to be utterly blown away by Pixar's animation.
  3. Dallas Observer
    Reviewed by: Michael Sragow
    100
    Lasseter and Stanton and the rest of the animators and gagsmiths use the computer with staggering imaginative freedom.
  4. Newsweek
    Reviewed by: Jeff Giles
    100
    All-embracing--funny and silly and tender, full of fun scares and endless sight gags.
  5. Time
    Reviewed by: Richard Corliss
    100
    At the end, the movie tops itself with comic outtakes, undoubtedly the funniest finale of any cartoon feature. “Antz” may have amused viewers with its sidewise wit, but as a comprehensive vision of computerized moviemaking, Pixar's dream works. And when A Bug's Life hits its stride, it's antastic.
  6. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Ron Wells
    90
    This is a family film. There's a great deal of wackiness.
  7. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Nathan Rabin
    90
    Smashing family entertainment: The whole thing is quick-witted, fast-paced, and loaded with clever sight gags and colorful, engaging supporting characters.
  8. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Amy Taubin
    90
    There are big crowd scenes, intimate close-ups, and lots of bug’s-eye point-of-view shots. Call me gullible: I believed every second of it.
  9. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kenneth Turan
    90
    What A Bug's Life demonstrates is that when it comes to bugs, the most fun ones to hang out with hang exclusively with the gang at Pixar.
  10. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Elvis Mitchell
    90
    Makes jaunty, imaginative use of both extraordinary technology and bold storytelling possibilities within the insect world.
  11. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Lisa Alspector
    90
    Full of adventure, spectacle, light romance, and the kind of suspense that doesn't require an unpredictable outcome to make your spine tingle.
  12. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    88
    The story, about an ant colony that frees itself from slavery to grasshoppers, is similar in some ways to the autumn's other big animated release, "Antz," but it's aimed at a broader audience and lacks the in-jokes.
  13. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    88
    A Bug's Life, like “Toy Story,” develops protagonists we can root for, and places them in the midst of a fast-moving, energetic adventure.
  14. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Russell Smith
    78
    From the pure entertainment standpoint, ABL's nonstop action helps it avoid the slack moments that marred “Antz”. The dialogue, kiddie-accessible though it is, is plenty intelligent for adult enjoyment.
  15. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    75
    The story is amusing and the animation is first-rate, but there's less sparkling originality than in "Toy Story."
  16. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
    Reviewed by: Liam Lacey
    75
    In a movie about an ant colony, perhaps it's futile to complain about a superfluity of characters. Yet this need to cover every permutation of cuteness is one major drawback to the cast of A Bug's Life.
  17. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    75
    So obsessed with wowing you, in every corner of every frame, that as a movie it doesn't quite breathe.
  18. Variety
    Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    70
    Entertaining in a very showbizzy way.
  19. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Sandra Contreras
    60
    The saucy repartee will amuse adults, while the climactic showdowns -- yes, there are more than one -- are gripping entertainment for the whole family.
  20. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Stephen Hunter
    50
    Clever as it is, the film lacks charm. One problem: too many bugs. Second, bigger world for two purposes: to feed birds and to irk humans.
  21. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Michael O'Sullivan
    50
    It's an infusion of zip that's sorely needed, because the chief deficiency of A Bug's Life so far is its blandness….The film's other weakness is the low-octane vocal performances of its leading cast.
  22. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: David Denby
    50
    O.K. for children.
  23. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Manohla Dargis
    40
    The most pleasure to be had from this high-tech bore is to compare the Disney world-view evidenced here (the triumph of collectivism) with that of DreamWorks’ own creepy-crawler animation, “Antz” (the triumph of individualism).

User Reviews

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User Score
7.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 122 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 30
  3. Negative: 2 out of 30
  1. grandpajoe6191
    8
    "A Bug's Life" is a well-animated movie that rounds up to a good morale; screw the dictators. I personally enjoyed one of Pixar's early masterpieces.
  2. gm101
    10
    Excellent movie by Pixar that introduced many children to Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai," in an animated, yet brilliant way. Amazing cast of voice actors as well!… Full Review »
  3. Joe
    10
    Let's see. The folks who rated this movie low can't even spell "decent" or "disappoint" correctly. A great film with great animation, voice acting, and some really funny moments.… Full Review »
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