Why is A Bug's Life so underrated?

Pixar's Feature Films A Bug's Life
#1

A Bug’s Life hardly gets the attention it deserves on the forums, so I felt like

starting a discussion about its popularity.

Pixar has never made a bad movie, but when you take a look

back at all of them, ABL seems to stand out as Pixar’s “worst” film. Why is that?

My theory is

that ABL was sandwiched between the success of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 and was overlooked.

I LOVE A

Bug’s Life. I’m just trying to stand up for the little guys, even though they’ve proven they can do that on

their own. :slight_smile:

~~=oP

Underrated?
#2

I have no idea. I love the film when I 1st watched it as a

kid & still love the film 8yrs on.

I agree with ya that ‘A Bug’s Life’ seems to be faded out from

the pack, cuz every time a new Pixar film trailer is shown you always get 'From the creators of Finding Nemo,

Toy Story, Monsters Inc…’ etc. but they rarely mention ‘A Bug’s Life’

#3

Yeah, I completely agree. It’s not a bad film at all, yet has been dubbed Pixar’s ‘worst’. Maybe it’s

something to do with other releases that came out at the same time, causing ABL to be overlooked?

#4

If I have to be honest with ya, I have to admit that ‘A Bug’s Life’ is the reason

why I love Pixar films, I mean, ‘Toy Story’ was great but ‘A Bug’s Life’ just nails it for me…& it’s

sad to me that it’s unappreciated…

#5

I

really don’t know either. I guess that more people love other Pixar films more than A Bug’s Life.

#6

I would love to say that it was overshadowed

by other similar related films but ‘Antz’ wasn’t any better. Or it could be that bugs weren’t really

appealing to people (almost everybody hates some sort of bugs), again I doubt this is the reason.

Could it

be that it’s really lack in beautiful animation? Or that we audience can’t really relate to the film as the

other films?

#7

I don’t know… I mean, 3-D animated films were still new

at the time. I doubt that’s the reason.

But I really would like a reason. A Bug’s Life is an amazing

film in many ways, and I love watching it even now. And it got wonderful reviews too. The characters, the strong

moral, funny twists (Francis, the male ladybug)… everything that Pixar has done in all of their

films.

This scene alone makes it so

great:

[url]- YouTube

I wanna run over to California, find

John Lasseter and kiss the top of his head for making such a great film. Somebody pleeease explain to me why it

isn’t getting the same recognition as the rest of Pixar’s films!

#8

That’s

it! I’m gonna watch ‘A Bug’s Life’ until I find the reason why it’s underrated! *hears footsteps & door

slamming behind him*

#9

Well, I guess the film

industry is very unpredictable. There are always some films that should’ve been hits, but weren’t, and vice

versa, even when there aren’t any reasonable explanations for it.

#10

But A Bug’s Life is Pixar. Everything from Pixar should be a hit.

#11

I think the

main reason that Pixar’s A Bug’s Life didn’t get much credit/merit is because the

story is somewhat…“modeled” after the film The Seven Samuri; hence, some

people – mostly adults – tended to turn their tails away from the thing for that reason. Kinda sad, really,

when you think about it…

When I first saw it in theaters, I absolutely loved it! I thought it was

fantastic, and it is! Heck, I started clapping at the end of the film (at the part where all the characters cheer

and clap for Flik), and people starting joining in with me, too! :smiley:

Despite it’s negative response and

lack of admiration, A Bug’s Life is still a highly respected film – at least, it

is in my eyes. With stunning graphics and lovable characters, it still earns its place in the list of Pixar’s

greatest films. My sister and I still “play along” with the characters in the film from time to

time… :wink:

#12

I’ve never considered ABL to be at the bottom

of the PIXAR list of films . . . in fact, it IS my favorite to date.

I’d also like to say that in the

Cars teaser, they did mention A Bug’s Life along the list of what they created, and in fact they were using the

ABL music up until Mater smashed the Bumblebee!

I don’t think people necessarily turn it away because it

was “modeled” after another film . . . rather, I think it may be overlooked because of two things: the

success of the TS’s and because of it’s deep, deep meanings of tryanny, oppression, rebellion, and

survival.

Now, it does appeal to kids and adults alike, but I will admit that ABL was considerably darker

than Toy Story and Toy Story 2. Until PIXAR started churning out the films MI, FN, and TI, I guess people saw

PIXAR as an animation company that made light-heartfelt comedies, and not the “dramatic comedies” that

ABL, MI, FN, and TI seem to possess.

(Still thinking where Cars would fall under . . . )

But

anyways, there can be no worst PIXAR film . . . not as a result of any of the films or of the ones to come!

#13

Personally, I cannot see anything

wrong with A Bug’s Life . It’s my favorite Pixar film besides Incredibles.

Maybe the reason it’s

underrated s because it’s not as action packed as some of the other Pixar films were and also overshadowed by

that STUPID Dreamworks rip-off, Antz. ( I love it when anything Dreamworks fails at the box office and the

Oscars. :wink: )

#14

No Action?! I

say to you -

What about . . .
The Rolling of the Bug Bar?
Flik and the Circus bugs saving

Dot?
Hopper pulverizing those two grasshoppers?
The Bird crashing in a fiery inferno?
The Battle in the

Rain?
Thumper beating up Flik?

And of course . . .

Flaming Death!

There was action, oh

yes, just not the whole “Incredi-plosions” that we’ve grown so fond of (and rightfully so, I might

add).

#15

Personally, I think the level of

action was really appropriate- perfect for this film, as there were action sequences that lasted long enough to

entertain, but not so long as to bore the audience and make them disassociate themselves with the

charatcers.

#16

Agree. Although the action was not as Incrediplosion like the Incredibles, as Pheonician said, but it did keep

people on the edge of their seats.

#17

I purchased a Pixar Sticker Book Treasury book a few days ago. It

includes characters and scenes from every Pixar movie except A Bug’s Life. Why does it get left out?

:angry:

~~=oP

#18

I’m not quite sure

myself, it’s never really had any of the glory of the other movies has it. :confused:

#19

PixarVixen: Are you serious? ABL is left out? That make me

onder too. How can you leave ABL out? Even though it wasn’t as favored as the other movies, it was still a good

one.

#20

Yeah, especially since they included every other Pixar

film apart from ABL. That’s taking it a step further than just not mentioning ABL in the ad for a new Pixar

movie in the whole ‘from the creators of…’ part. That’s purposefully singling out ABL, and deciding not to

include it!