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‘Bee Movie’ fails to make grade

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Also by Matthew Straub:

Disney show 'King' of musicals (February 26, 2008)

by Matthew Straub

Friday, November 2, 2007

From toys to cars to insects, nearly every recognizable entity in existence — organic or otherwise — has had its own animated movie. Now that this list is virtually exhausted, the only thing left to do is get increasingly specific with what CGI animators choose to bring to life. DreamWorks Animation’s latest in the onslaught of animated creature movies, “Bee Movie,” has settled on the bumblebee presumably because it’s more specific than “A Bug’s Life” and not quite the same in theme as “Antz.” But apart from its gratuitous use of bee-related puns, “Bee Movie” is not much different from everything else these animated films lead us to expect.

Since 2000’s “Chicken Run,” the company’s first stop-motion film, DreamWorks Animation has attempted to follow in Pixar Animation Studios’ footsteps, repeatedly failing to write or create anything as charming or as enjoyable as the likes of “Toy Story” or “Finding Nemo.” Even the addition of big names such as voice actor/producer Jerry Seinfeld (“Seinfeld”) and Renée Zellweger (“Cinderella Man”) does not cause the viewer to forget the basic, monotonous plot of “Bee Movie.”

Barry B. Benson (Seinfeld) grows tired of the routine life of bees in the beehive and embarks on an adventure in the outdoor world, leading a crusade against the human evildoers who steal bees’ honey and sell it for profit. In the midst of this adventure, he develops a close relationship with Vanessa Bloome, a human — strictly forbidden by bee rules, you know — voiced by Renée Zellweger.

Unfortunately, it’s rather awkward to hear Seinfeld’s all-too-recognizable middle-aged voice coming out of a teenage bumblebee, which makes it difficult to separate from Seinfeld’s tremendous pop culture persona. It’s comforting, however, to witness Zellweger’s skills as a voice actor, as they finally allow us to hear her acting skills divorced from her perpetually pinched face, which usually tends to mar even her best performances.

But the driving force behind most animated films has little to do with voices, and everything to do with the writing and direction. In these regards, “Bee Movie” has simply followed the formula of past successes. There are several ridiculous action sequences that take full advantage of the limitless possibilities of animation, but they seem to exist mostly for show. It is sometimes baffling to think how directors of animated features, especially in this film, consistently fail to use their potentially infinite constructions of mise en scÃ

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