A Bug's Life

Movie review by Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
A Bug's Life Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 5+

Cute animated tale with some mild peril and scary bugs.

G 1998 95 minutes
Rate movie

Parents say

age 7+

Based on 48 reviews

Kids say

age 6+

Based on 68 reviews

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate movie

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that A Bug's Life has lots of "good bug-bad bug" cartoon action and some images that could be scary to very young children who have not yet differentiated make believe violence from real violence, or to sensitive kids who are not comfortable with suspense or jeopardy. Scowling, threatening grasshoppers loom over and swarm toward a colony of vulnerable ants, the heroes of the story. The insects contend with fire, rain, predatory birds, as well as the power hungry grasshoppers. Older kids will enjoy the clever humor and the unique view of the insect world, as well as the interspecies conflicts.

Community Reviews

MelC27
MelC27 Adult
February 5, 2021
age 7+

Don’t know how it got a G rating

This is actually the first time Common Sense has led me astray. We showed this to my just turned 5 yr old son based on this rating and he was pretty scared throughout the whole movie and continues to talk about how scary it was. The grasshoppers look, sound, and act vicious and cruel. It’s extremely violent. There are full on fist fighting, so much that the cartoon ant has a black eye and bruises. They torture ants while others look on. Hopper, the lead grasshopper threatens to kill his own brother, does kill another fellow grasshopper, threatens to kill the ants, including the very young/baby one. Spoiler: he then gets fed to baby birds in a graphic screaming/flailing way. It was disturbing on many levels even as an adult. I honestly don’t understand why these choices are made for young kids. The overall message could be good, don’t keep doing something because it’s always been done that way, embrace new ideas, celebrate your individualism, etc. but all that to us was overshadowed by the violence.

This title has:

Too much violence
1 person found this helpful.
Susan A.
Susan A. Adult
August 9, 2020
age 9+

Violent

This is an adult movie masquerading as a kids' movie because it involves animated insects rather than live-action people. The main character gets violently beaten to the ground and is bruised and unable to get up, and then his head is about to get squashed, there's lots of talk about murdering the queen, the antagonist is slowing fed alive to baby birds, the antagonist murders one of his followers, the queen has a boy toy who is going to rub her down with lotion. It was just awful. My husband and I cringed at each other over our kids' heads.

This title has:

Too much violence
1 person found this helpful.
See all 48 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In A BUG'S LIFE, when Flik inadvertently loses the food tribute set out by the ants for the predatory grasshoppers, he must find a way to protect his community. In the spirit of The Magnificent Seven, he goes off in search of warrior bugs to fight the grasshoppers. He mistakenly hires a group of unsuccessful vaudevillians from (of course) a flea circus, who think they are being booked for a performance and have no idea he expects them to fight. But they turn out to have just the right stuff to help the ants fight the grasshoppers after all, and Flick gets to prove that he is a hero at heart.

Is It Any Good?

You'll need to see this delightful movie twice to appreciate the scope of its visual wit and technological mastery. Oddly enough, this wasn't the only computer-animated movie about bugs to come out in the fall of 1998; Antz was released just a month before, and the difference between the two animated bug movies is exemplified by their lead characters. Antz has Z, voiced by Woody Allen as -- well -- Woody Allen, angst-ridden, in analysis, searching for individual identity in a world of conformity. A Bug's Life has NewsRadio's Dave Foley providing his voice as Flik, an All-American ant-next-door type who is inventive, brave, and loyal.

Helped by outstanding voice talent, the rest of the movie's characters are quirky and endearing enough to make you forget they are computer-animated. Lending their voices are Seinfeld's Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Phyllis Diller, Kevin Spacey, Spin City's Richard Kind, Frasier's David Hyde Pierce, and John Ratzenberger of Cheers. Antz was largely brown, but this movie uses a paintbox of color to produce stunning images with luminous tones.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the insect world in A Bug's Life. How many bugs can you name? How do bugs communicate in real life? Why do you think ants and bees live in such big colonies? How do they benefit the earth?

  • Families can also discuss bullies, and how to deal with them. What was Hopper's perspective on power? What did the ants do to combat the bullies? Have you ever encountered real-life bullies?

  • How do characters in A Bug's Life demonstrate teamwork, communication, and courage? Why are these important character strengths?

Movie Details

Our Editors Recommend

  • Finding Nemo Poster Image

    Finding Nemo

    Sweet father-son tale has some very scary moments.

    age 5+
  • My Friend Flicka Poster Image

    My Friend Flicka

    Classic horse story picks up in the second half.

    age 6+
  • Free Willy Poster Image

    Free Willy

    A wayward boy befriends a moody killer whale.

    age 6+

Character Strengths

Find more movies that help kids build character.

  • Little boy whispering to a girl
    Communication
    See all
  • Young girl playing
    Courage
    See all
  • Hands together
    Teamwork
    See all

Themes & Topics

Browse titles with similar subject matter.

  • Cartoon ant on a leaf
    Bugs
    See all

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate