This might sting a little.
Most people raised by the internet, or who are Extremely Online, know about 2007’s Bee Movie, if only because of its meme status. Its entire script has become a copypasta — text that people copy and paste everywhere online, usually as a joke. Why? It’s difficult to say. Perhaps the DreamWorks-animated film’s ridiculous concept — a honey bee talks with humans, learns they exploit bee labor for honey, and sues the human race — amuses people. Maybe they appreciate its absurd humor. Heck, they may sincerely enjoy the film. But watching it only makes its success more confusing.
Though Bee Movie was directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner, the true “author” is Jerry Seinfeld: he co-produced it, co-wrote the screenplay, and voiced the main character, Barry Benson. To his credit, his screenplay has cool ideas. The bees’ antennae function like phone headsets. Their hive has luxurious houses, amusement park–style honey contraptions, and even cars and roads with vertical loops. Many of the jokes are decent, too. Instead of ceaseless bee puns, the humor often comes from biology, including bees’ lifespan, stingers, and attraction to bright light sources.
Disappointingly, the story isn’t nearly as considered. Early themes and events that seem central to the film fade away by the end. Within the film’s logic, characters’ decisions make little sense. Most of the characters, aside from Barry himself, aren’t engaging. Important details remain unexplained. Bee Movie doesn’t seem to know what its main concern is: the pressure to make major life decisions quickly; the distinction between humans and other intelligent, feeling lifeforms; or the necessity of work in maintaining society and the environment. What’s the message, the point of this film? The half-baked story is not exactly frustrating, but it is unsatisfying.
The lackluster voice talent doesn’t help. Renée Zellweger is the best of the main cast because she makes the underdeveloped Vanessa interesting. Seinfeld’s Barry is fine, but his voice cracks become tiring by the end. Matthew Broderick’s performance as Adam, Barry’s sidekick, is as forgettable as his character. John Goodman, Patrick Warburton, and Chris Rock’s characters sound exactly as expected. Voice actors with more experience and versatility would have helped, even if the lack of big names would harm the film’s profitability. Bee Movie’s horn-and-marimba-driven score is likewise middling; it sounds like dozens of other animated films’ scores.
At least it has quality animation and design. Characters’ movements never seem stilted. Layton T. Montgomery (Goodman) and his grotesque jiggle physics provide mild amusement. The human characters look good, and with the unfortunate exception of Barry, who resembles a jaundiced Furby (Fur-Bee?), so do the insects. Their fabric and hair textures create depth. The environments are beautiful, especially the bees’ world (despite its overly yellow-orange palette), and the film’s flight sequences are spectacular.
If nothing else, the film will entertain young children. Adults, however, will be distracted by its poor storytelling, humdrum characters, and bland performances. Despite its promising premise, Bee Movie is for the birds.
