Antz 🎥 1998 Movie Info

Plot Summary

In an anthill at Central Park, 16 year old anxious worker ant Z is suffering an existential crisis because everyone in the colony, including his psychiatrist, reminds him of his insignificance. At the same time, the colony’s princess Bala wants to escape her suffocating royal life. While the worker ants are building a giant “Mega Tunnel” within the anthill, the leader of the colony’s army General Mandible – to whom Bala is betrothed – declares war on an encroaching termite colony. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Mandible is sending only soldier ants loyal to the colony’s Queen on a suicide mission to engage the termites in order to stage a coup d’état.

One night at a bar, Z hears about the legendary insect paradise “Insectopia” from a retired scout suffering from PTSD. Bala later visits the bar and shares a dance with Z, who becomes smitten with her. Wanting to see Bala again, Z comes up with a clever plan and convinces his soldier ant best friend Weaver to exchange places with him for the army’s royal inspection. The next day, Z joins the army corps where he befriends staff sergeant Barbatus. Meanwhile, Weaver joins the digging crew, striking up a relationship with Z’s co-worker Azteca.

Z is sent out with a platoon into battle where the ants are overwhelmed by the termites and all except Z are killed. After the carnage, Z finds a bodiless Barbatus on the battlefield who tells him to think for himself instead of blindly following orders before dying. Z returns home where he is mistakenly hailed as a war hero and is granted an audience with the Queen. Bala recognizes Z as a worker and Mandible orders him arrested. This prompts Z to panic and pretend to take Bala hostage as he escapes the anthill with her. The royal guards’ attempt to recover Bala fails when they are incinerated by a human child with a magnifying glass.

Meet the Cast