A Bug´s Life is a movie by John Lasseter from 1998. It´s an animated movie from the perspective of... a bug.
Plot[]
The ant Flik, is a member of colony of ants and an inventor who isn't appreciated. Every season his colony are expected to gather food for a gang of grasshoppers. One year Flik accidentally knocks the pile of food into a stream just before the grasshoppers arrive to eat. The grasshopper's leader, Hopper, gives the ants the rest of the season to gather twice as much food. As a result of his mistake, Flik is admonished by the colony's council. Flik suggests that he try to recruit warrior bugs to fight the grasshoppers. The heir to the throne, Princess Atta, allows him to do so, but only as a fool's errand to get rid of him.
Flik reaches the insect city. He encounters a troupe of unemployed circus bugs and mistakes them for the warriors. At the same time, they believe him to be a talent scout who wants them to entertain. They return to the colony, and are greeted as heroes. In a conversation, Flik and the troupe realize their misunderstandings with each other. The troupe plan to leave the colony but reconsider when they save Atta's sister Dot from a bird.
Flik proposes to build a model bird to scare the grasshoppers away. Whilst working together on the bird, the troupe members bond with the colony. Atta and Flik, who share mutual feelings of pleasing everyone, begin an awkard attraction for each other. At the grasshopper's hideout, Hopper's brother Molt suggests that they not go back, since they have enough food to last the winter. Hopper reminds him and everyone else to keep ants living in fear because of their superior numbers, and they begin their journey back to the ants.
Just before the grasshoppers are due to arrive, the troupe are exposed as circus performers. Upset at Flik's deception, Atta orders him exiled from the colony. The grasshoppers arrive and the ants are unable to meet his demands, so they take over the colony and force them to bring him food. Dot catches up with Flik and the troupe, and persuades them to return and use the bird to get rid of the grasshoppers.
Initially Hopper and the grasshoppers are scared by the bird, but when the bird is set on fire, Hopper realizes the bird was a trick. He beats Flik to the ground but Flik stands up to him and tells him the ants are stronger than they are led to believe. Realizing this, the colony swarms against the gang and forces all, except a captured Hopper, to flee.
A rainstorm begins, causing panic in which Hopper grabs Flik and flies off. Atta rescues Flik and they lure Hopper toward the bird's nest. Hopper corners Flik, but the bird grabs Hopper and feeds him to its chicks. The next spring, the colony has adopted Flik's idea to speed up grain collection. Atta becomes the new queen and chooses Flik as her mate. They wave goodbye to the troupe, who all stayed over winter as guest.
Couples[]
- Flik & Atta
- Manny & Gypsy
- Slim & Rosie
Characters[]
Flik
A nerdy inventive ant who is desperate to make a difference to his colony's way of life, but tends to make things worse in the process. His inventions include a telescope created by wrapping a blade of grass around a dew drop; an automatic harvester; several items of traveler's gear; and the bird-shaped aircraft used to terrify the grasshoppers. He is friends with Dot and the Circus Bugs.
Hopper
A feared grasshopper who is blind in one eye due to a scratch caused by a recent encounter with a bird[citation needed]. He leads a large gang of grasshoppers, who hold a Mafia-like control over the ants. Hopper is cunning, bad-tempered, and tyrannical.
Princess Atta
The older princess ant of the royal family and heir to the throne. She is nervous about her new responsibilities and fears what the rest of the colony might think about her.
Dot
The younger princess ant of the royal family. She idolizes Flik and resents being small.
Francis
An aggressive ladybug and a clown in P.T. Flea's circus troupe. Francis is frustrated by constantly being mistaken for a female and is shown to be belligerent and aggressive to the point of frightening others.
Slim
A walking stick insect and a clown in P.T. Flea's circus troupe. It appears that he is unhappy with his position at the circus troupe, as his boss constantly casts him as a prop instead of a characte. He is best friends with Heimlich and Francis, and often treats other bugs with respect in contrast to Francis' aggressive nature.
Heimlich
A green caterpillar with a German accent and a clown in P.T. Flea's circus troupe. He is gluttonous, frivolous , and contemptuous of anyone he considers less intelligent than himself.
Molt
Hopper's brother and self-proclaimed Vice President of the grasshopper gang. He is named 'Molt' for his exoskelton's abnormal tendency to peel off. He is a loudmouth and provides a great deal of comic relief.
The Queen
Of the ant colony. She is an ancient ant, who is due to give up her crown to her eldest daughter Atta. She has a pet aphid called Aphie, whom she adores.
Manny
A praying mantis with an English accent; the magician of P.T. Flea's circus troupe. Manny is Gypsy's husband. His magic act involves the 'Chinese Cabinet of Metamorphosis', which is really a Chinese food take-out carton.
Rosie
A black widow spider who is maternal toward the rhinoceros beetle, Dim, and the younger ants of the colony. She has apparently had twelve husbands.
Gypsy
A gypsy moth who has beautiful patterns on either side of her wings. She is Manny's wife as well as his "lovely assistant" during his magic act.
Dim
Rhinoceros beetle who has a childlike, impressionable, but clear-sighted character. He is usually mothered by the black widow spider, Rosie. He is the largest insect of the circus troupe, and also the transport to Heimlich, Tuck, Roll, and Rosie.
Tuck and Roll
Twin pill bugs who are Hungarian, but speak a language that is entirely fictional and do a Russian Folk dance . Tuck and Roll occasionally argue with each other, but are usually the best of friends.
P.T. Flea
The ringmaster of the circus troupe, who is unwilling to give refunds even after his show has lasted only two minutes.
Mister Soil
A member of the Ant Island council.
Doctor Flora
The nurse of Ant Island, another member of the council.