Bee Movie” definitely validates the term “busy bee,” as Barry and the rest of the bee clan produce more honey than one hive can ever consume in its lifetime, fight the unjust human population and save the world from total devastation in the comical family friendly animated film from the creative minds at Dreamwork Pictures.
“Bee Movie,” despite its not so creative title, is worth the time of any age group. Children are bound to sympathize with and laugh at Barry’s antics, and adults can amuse themselves with some of the jokes that are surely over the little ones’ heads.
The plot follows a over zealous bee named Barry (voice of Jerry Seinfeld) who isn’t willing to simply accept the mundane role that’s expected of him in the honey factory, also known as the hive. On his first day of work, Barry is told that bees have worked everyday in the same job for the last 27 million years. When Barry asks “so you’ll just work us to death?” his boss responds with, “We’ll sure try.” The statement is the last straw that pushes Barry to want to go out into the human world with the Pollen Jocks, the big bees on campus who go out and pollinate the world using their Nectar Collectors.
Barry wants to experience the outside world and all the dangers that come with it, such as the immensely large Italian Vogue magazine, because it’s simply more interesting than making honey for the rest of his life.
During his first day out with the Pollen Jocks, Barry is nearly killed in a tennis match in which he’s attached to the tennis ball in question, caught in a car with screaming children and a panic-driven mother, and nearly swatted to death by a man who claims to be allergic. But the kind heart of a woman named Vanessa (voice of Renee Zellweger) makes Barry want to risk the swinging Italian Vogue and stay in the outside world.
But Barry’s exploration quickly brings him face-to-face with an uneasy reality: the humans are taking the bee community’s honey and using it for monetary profit, which is news to Barry. “This is stealing! A lot of stealing! And it’s on sale!” he exclaims before he goes on to explain his conspiracy theory. “We live on two cups a year and they put it in lip balm for absolutely no reason!”
Barry feels scammed. His family and friends are forced to live tedious lives creating honey day in and day out while the humans aren’t only stealing their prized possession, but also in the process of killing the bees with smoke. One owner of a Honey Farm even justifies his work by claiming, “they make the honey and we make the money,” and to his dismay Barry overhears this statement.
Barry’s anger leads him to sue the human race with the help of his new friend and love interest, Vanessa. He says that when he’s done with the human race they’ll be paying royalties every time they even think of using the word “honey.” News of the lawsuit hits all the major bee news networks like “BeeNN.”
As one would imagine, the bee verses human race court case is an amusing one, as the two sides try to prove who the honey really belongs to.
Toward the end of the film, the plot does a good job of subtly introducing environmental concerns to audiences without hitting them over the head with bold words and animation and still keeping the issues lighthearted and funny.
“Bee Movie” definitely invites audiences in with its typical Seinfeld-fashioned comedy and animated cameos by Larry King, Sting and Ray Liotta.
Other scenes, which include a stained glass window, toilet surfing and a “sword” fight between Barry and a grocery store employee, provoke laughter throughout the whole animation.
In the end, the messages are clear and the time is well spent.
“Bee Movie” really is a B movie, well worth a watch, even if only to enjoy Seinfeld’s comedic timing.
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