Overview
See production notesIn a Central Park anthill, neurotic 16-year-old worker ant Z suffers an existential crisis when everyone in the colony reminds him of his insignificance. At the same time, the colony's princess Bala wants to escape her suffocating royal life. The two meet one night in a worker bar which Bala visits, where Z hears about the legendary insect paradise "Insectopia" from a retired scout. Z and Bala share a dance, after which he becomes smitten with her. Meanwhile, General Mandible - the leader of the colony's army and 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. Wanting to see Bala again, Z convinces his best friend Weaver, a soldier ant, to exchange places with him for the army's royal inspection. The next day, Weaver joins the digging crew and strikes up a relationship with Z's co-worker, Azteca, while Z joins the army corps and befriends staff sergeant Barbatus. Z is sent out with a platoon into battle against the termites, who slaughter all the ants except Z. After the carnage, Z finds a dying Barbatus, who tells him to think for himself instead of blindly following orders. Z returns home, where he is hailed as a war hero and is granted an audience with the Queen, where Bala recognizes him as a worker and Mandible orders him arrested. Z panics and pretends to take Bala hostage, escaping the anthill with her. Outside the anthill, Z decides to leave in search of Insectopia, with Bala reluctantly joining him. Meanwhile, Z's act of individuality inspires the workers and some soldier ants, halting construction of Mandible's "Mega Tunnel" project. Mandible regains their loyalty by portraying Z as a self-centered war criminal, promoting the glory of conformity and promising the workers rewards for completing the Mega Tunnel. However, Mandible's second-in-command, a flying ant named Cutter, begins to doubt Mandible's constant reassurances that he is acting for the good of the colony. Elsewhere, Z and Bala mistake a human picnic for Insectopia and are told otherwise by upper-class wasps, Muffy and Chip. They are then attacked by a human, who kills Muffy with a fly swatter. Z and Bala get stuck to gum beneath the human's shoe, which the human removes using a coin and drops them in Insectopia (a trash can overfilled with decaying food). Mandible interrogates Weaver, and learns that Z is searching for Insectopia; he sends Cutter out to find it, who later arrives there and forcibly flies Bala back to the colony. Seeing Z's desperation at Bala's abduction, a drunken Chip, mourning Muffy's death, flies Z back to the colony. Z rescues Bala and together they discover that the Mega Tunnel will flood upon completion and that Mandible intends to drown the Queen, along with the workers, and restart the colony with Bala as his queen. Bala goes to save the Queen while Z attempts to stop work on the tunnel, but it begins to flood. Z and Bala unify the queen and workers into building a ladder towards the surface as the water rises. Meanwhile, Mandible gathers the soldiers on the surface and gloats about creating a new, stronger colony. When the worker ants break through the surface, Cutter betrays Mandible and helps them. An enraged Mandible tries to attack Cutter, but Z intervenes, and he and Mandible fall into the flooded tunnel. Mandible dies striking a root and Z nearly drowns, but is rescued by Cutter and resuscitated by Bala. Z is praised for his heroism, and he and Bala become a couple and, with the colony no longer subject to its previous rules, is finally content with his place in the world.
Plot from AntzCC BY-SA 4.0
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Quotes
See all quotesWeaver: [to Z] Are you nuts?! You want me to switch places with you? Do you know how much trouble you can get into for even talkin' about impersonatin' a soldier? You can get in trouble just for listening to someone talkin' about impersonatin' a soldier! [Everyone who was listening in pretends to fall back asleep] Barbatus: [his last words to Z] Don't make my mistake, kid. Don't follow orders your whole life. Think for yourself. Muffy: Darling, they're poor, they're dirty, they're smelly. We have to help them. [to Z and Bala] If you just wait right here, we'll get you a little something. Queen: [to Mandible] General, we've been at peace with that colony for years. Why would they attack us? Psychologist: Excellent. You’ve made a real breakthrough. Soldier Ants: One. Two. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Worker Ants: [chanting] We want Z! We want Z! Chip: [to Muffy] Ugh! Please, Muffy, not another crusade. Grebs: [to Z] There is a better place, Insectopia. Pr
Antz, CC BY-SA 4.0
Z Marion-4195: All my life, I've lived and worked in the big city, which now that I think of it, is kind of a problem since I always feel uncomfortable around crowds. I mean it, I-I have this fear of enclosed spaces. I-I-I, everything makes me feel trapped all the time. You know, I always tell myself, there's gotta be something better out there, but maybe I think too much. I-I-I think everything must go back to the fact that I had a very anxious childhood. You know, my, my mother never had time for me. You know, when you're - when you're the middle child in a family of five million, you don't get any attention. I mean, how's it possible? And I've always had these, these abandonment issues, which plagued me. My father was basically a drone like I've said, and, you know, the guy flew away when I was just a larva. And my job, don't get me started on, 'cause it really annoys me. I was not cut out to be a worker, I'll tell you right now. I-I-I feel physically inadequate. I, I, my whole life
Antz, CC BY-SA 4.0
Man: Ground floor. Ant: Uh, worker. Soldier. Worker. Worker Ant: Let's try it again. Firm grip. Swing hard. Back straight. Concentrate. Follow through. Z Marion-4195: Okay. I've got to keep a positive attitude. A good attitude, even though I'm utterly insignificant. [grabs an ax] I'm-I'm insignificant, um, but with attitude. Azteca: Oh, sorry, Z. I didn't see you. Z Marion-4195: Great, Azteca. It's working already. I'm so meaningless, I'm invisible. [he tries to get the ax out] Azteca: [laughing] Now, you're getting it. [takes the ax out] After all, it's not about you. It's about us, the team. It's about this. Z Marion-4195: Uh, a giant hole in the ground? Foreman: Okay, people. Are we feeling good? All: Yeah! Z Marion-4195: Yeah. Foreman: Great! Now, R-1734 through Z-7829, you guys are on wrecking ball. Azteca: You got it. Z Marion-4195: Swell. You got it. Worker Ant: All right, swing time! Let's get physical! Worker Ant: I love this job! Worker Ant: Let's go! Z Marion-4195: Now, reme
Antz, CC BY-SA 4.0
General Mandible: [his first words] Workers. They're weak. They lack discipline. They lack commitment. Foreman: [he comes in] General, I know there's been a glitch or two. But everybody is working full tilt as it is, and- General Mandible: You can't help it, it's your nature. But in spite of your limitations, you are going to finish this tunnel on schedule. Come hell or high water. For now on, anyone who falls behind is going to have to explain themselves to Colonel Cutter. And let me assure you, the colonel is not as understanding as I am. Dismissed. Four more days, Cutter. Four more days. Then we can bid final farewell to their kind of incompetence. Colonel Cutter: Yes, sir. General Mandible: A fresh start. Imagine it! Colonel Cutter: A strong colony, sir. A colony we can be proud of. General Mandible: Yes, but we're not there yet. Cutter, we just got word that a termite army has mobilized against us. Colonel Cutter: Against us? General Mandible: We'll have to send troops deep into h
Antz, CC BY-SA 4.0
Queen: General, we've been at peace with that colony for years. Why would they attack us? General Mandible: They want our land. They're desperate for more foraging territory. Perhaps they think we've grown soft or weak. Queen: Why don't we dispatch an ambassador, negotiate a new treaty? Certainly, we don't need to send soldiers. General Mandible: Believe me. Every ant in this colony is so precious to me. That's why we must strike now, when we have the element of surprise. If the termite shock troops enter our colony, well... Queen: Yes, General, I know what they can do to us. Very well. General Mandible: You've made a wise decision. In fact, you've insured the future of this colony. Princess Bala: Hello, General. General Mandible: Princess Bala. What a nice surprise. You look lovelier each time I see you. Princess Bala: Thanks. I hope you're not just here on business. General Mandible: Oh, of course... [chuckling] ...of course not. Princess Bala: Because, um, it might be nice if we had
Antz, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bartender: Two aphid beers. Z Marion-4195: Why'd I have to be born a worker? Soldiers get all the glory, plus you get to go out in the world. You meet interesting insects, you get to kill them. Weaver: Yeah. But you get to spend all day with those beautiful worker girls. Z Marion-4195: Weaver, they're career girls. They're obsessed with digging. [sighs] I don't think I'm ever gonna meet the right girl for me. Weaver: [to Z] Who said a girl for you? I was talking about a girl for me. Don't you want your aphid beer? Z Marion-4195: Call me crazy, but... [clears throat] I have a thing about drinking from the anus of another creature. Okay? Weaver: Suit yourself. Ah, me,? I'm cutting a lose. We got a royal inspection coming up. Z Marion-4195: Inspection, meaning you're gonna stand around like an idiot while a bunch of blue bloods smirk at you. I don't know how you put up with it, Weaver. Weaver: Z, I've known you for a long time. Right? Z Marion-4195: Definitely. You were born two seconds a
Antz, CC BY-SA 4.0
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