A Bug's Life
Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: November 25, 1998 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
78
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews
Positive:
18
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Dallas ObserverMichael Sragow
Lasseter and Stanton and the rest of the animators and gagsmiths use the computer with staggering imaginative freedom. Read full review
100
NewsweekJeff Giles
All-embracing--funny and silly and tender, full of fun scares and endless sight gags. Read full review
100
SalonJanelle Brown
It's impossible not to be utterly blown away by Pixar's animation. Read full review
100
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Stack
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. Read full review
100
TimeRichard Corliss
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. Read full review
90
Film ThreatRon Wells
This is a family film. There's a great deal of wackiness. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
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. Read full review
90
The New York TimesJanet Maslin
Makes jaunty, imaginative use of both extraordinary technology and bold storytelling possibilities within the insect world. Read full review
90
The A.V. ClubNathan Rabin
Smashing family entertainment: The whole thing is quick-witted, fast-paced, and loaded with clever sight gags and colorful, engaging supporting characters. Read full review
90
Village VoiceAmy Taubin
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. Read full review
90
Chicago ReaderLisa Alspector
Full of adventure, spectacle, light romance, and the kind of suspense that doesn't require an unpredictable outcome to make your spine tingle. Read full review
88
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
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. Read full review
88
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
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. Read full review
78
Austin ChronicleRussell Smith
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. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
The story is amusing and the animation is first-rate, but there's less sparkling originality than in "Toy Story." Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
So obsessed with wowing you, in every corner of every frame, that as a movie it doesn't quite breathe. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam Lacey
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. Read full review
70
VarietyTodd McCarthy
Entertaining in a very showbizzy way. Read full review
60
TV Guide MagazineSandra Contreras
The saucy repartee will amuse adults, while the climactic showdowns -- yes, there are more than one -- are gripping entertainment for the whole family. Read full review
50
Washington PostStephen Hunter
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. Read full review
50
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
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. Read full review
50
The New YorkerDavid Denby
O.K. for children. Read full review
40
L.A. WeeklyManohla Dargis
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). Read full review
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