Proceedings of National Seminar on Postmodern ... - Igcollege.org

<strong>Proceedings</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>National</strong> <strong>Seminar</strong> on Postmodern Literary Theory and Literature , Jan. 27-28, 2012, Nanded
soldier, in the process. He doesn't realize that the
army's leader and Bala's fiancé, the corrupt
General Mandible (Gene Hackman), is secretly
sending all the soldiers loyal to the Queen to die
so he can begin to build a colony filled with
powerful ants. At the base <strong>of</strong> a tree near
nightfall, Z realizes he's actually marching into
battle, and all <strong>of</strong> the soldiers except for Z are
killed by the acid-shooting termites. Following
the battle, all Z can find <strong>of</strong> Barbatus is his head.
Before he dies, Barbatus tells Z to think for
himself rather than follow orders all his life. Z
returns home and is hailed as a war hero,
congratulated personally by the secretly irate
General Mandible, and is brought before the
Queen. There he meets Princess Bala, who
eventually recognizes him as a worker. When Z
finds that he has been cornered in a lie, he panics
and takes Princess Bala hostage. They escape
the colony and hide, and Z decides to search for
the legendary Insectopia. Bala reluctantly
decides to go with him after she narrowly
escapes from a hungry praying mantis. Word <strong>of</strong>
the incident quickly spreads through the colony,
whereupon Z's act <strong>of</strong> individuality sparks a
revolution in the workers. As a result,
productivity grinds to a halt. Seeing an
opportunity to gain control, General Mandible
begins to publicly portray Z as a villain who
cares only about himself. Mandible then
promotes the glory <strong>of</strong> conformity and promises
them a better life, which he claims to be the
reward <strong>of</strong> completing a "Mega Tunnel" planned
by himself. Mandible learns Z is looking for
Insectopia after interrogating Weaver. Knowing
full well <strong>of</strong> the place's existence, Mandible sends
his aide, Colonel Cutter (Christopher Walken),
to its location to retrieve the Princess and kill Z.
Cutter, however, slowly begins to have second
thoughts about Mandible's plans and agenda and
develops sympathy for the worker ants.
The film topped the box <strong>of</strong>fice in its
opening weekend, earning $17,195,160 for a
$7,021 average from 2,449 theaters. In its
second weekend, the film held the top spot
again, with a slippage <strong>of</strong> only 14% to $14.7
million for a $5,230 average and expanding to
2,813 sites. It held well also in its third weekend,
slipping only 24% to $11.2 million and finishing
in third place, for a $3,863 average from 2,903
theaters. The film's widest release was 2,929
theaters, and closed on February 18, 1999. The
film altogether picked up $90,757,863
domestically, recouping its $60 million budget,
but failing to outgross its competition with A
Bug's Life. The film picked up an additional $81
million overseas for a worldwide total <strong>of</strong> $171.8
million, making it a box <strong>of</strong>fice success. Antz is
the first animated film, as well as the first CGIanimated
film, by DreamWorks and the
second computer-animated film released in the
United States after Toy Story. The film was
originally released to theaters on October 2,
1998.
Z and Bala, after misdirection and a
brief separation, finally find Insectopia, which
consists <strong>of</strong> a human waste-bin overfilled with
decaying food (a treat for insects <strong>of</strong> all kinds).
Here, Bala begins to reciprocate Z's feelings.
However, during a break, Cutter arrives and
takes Bala back to the colony. Z finds them gone
and makes his way back to the colony to rescue
Bala, aided by a wasp named Chip (Dan
Aykroyd), whom he met earlier and has made
himself drunk grieving over the loss <strong>of</strong> his
swatted wife, Muffy (Jane Curtin). Z arrives at
the colony, where he finds that Bala has been
held captive in General Mandible's <strong>of</strong>fice. After
rescuing her, he learns that General Mandible's
"Mega Tunnel" leads straight to a body <strong>of</strong> water
(the puddle next to Insectopia), which Mandible
will use to drown the queen and the workers
who have gathered at the opening ceremony.
Bala goes to warn the workers and her mother at
the ceremony, while Z goes to the tunnel exit to
stop the workers from digging any further. He
fails, however, and the water leaks in. Z and
Bala unify the workers into a single working
unit and build a towering ladder <strong>of</strong> ants towards
the surface as the water continues to rise.
Meanwhile, General Mandible and his
soldiers are gathered at the surface, where he
explains to them his vision <strong>of</strong> a new colony with
none <strong>of</strong> the "worker filth". He is interrupted,
however, when the workers successfully claw
their way to the surface and break through.
Mandible tries to kill Z but is stopped by Cutter,
who finally rebels against Mandible and instead
tries to help Z and the worker ants out <strong>of</strong> the
hole "for the good <strong>of</strong> the colony." Mandible then
snaps, yelling that he is the colony, and charges
523 PLTL-2012: ISBN 978-81-920120-0-1