Review of Bee Movie on DVD

Stellar Voice Talent Strengthens Weak Story About Bees

Mar 17, 2008

DVD bonus features highlight Jerry Seinfeld's involvement in the animated film.

In the bonus features on the Bee Movie DVD, co-writer, co-producer, and star Jerry Seinfeld says that he originally pitched the idea of the movie based on the title alone – a clever title with no story. He may have been kidding, but the story behind Bee Movie is certainly the weakest element.

Non-Stop Laughs Throughout

In this full-length animated feature, one rebellious little bee (Seinfeld) balks at the idea of being worked to death making honey for the hive. Unlike his compliant best friend (voiced by Matthew Broderick), Barry B. Benson wants to explore the world outside of the hive before committing himself to being a busy little bee for the rest of his life. Once outside, Barry narrowly escapes death until a sweet human florist (Renee Zellweger) saves his life. When he verbally expresses his gratitude to her, he upsets the natural order of things and sets off a dangerous chain of events that kills all the plants and trees. He also manages to initiate a romance of sorts between himself and the florist.

The script is delightfully funny with clever one-liners enhanced by exceptionally good voiceover talent, which also includes Rip Torn, John Goodman, Kathy Bates, and many others. The skillful animation provides an entertaining bugs-eye-view of hive life and then mixes it with a much larger picture of a bug’s place in the outside world. Between the animation, the voices, the non-stop jokes, and a few carefully chosen musical numbers, viewers of all ages can find something to enjoy in Bee Movie. Just don’t focus too much on the story, because a talking bee romancing a human florist, acting as his own attorney in human court, and destroying the ecosystem may be too far-fetched for even the most forgiving audiences.

As you might expect with an A-list cast, the bonus features explore the comedic talents more than the animation techniques. Although the animation captures the beauty of the landscapes and the quirkiness of the characters, it can’t compete with the colorful cast members. Included in the bonus features: “We Got the Bee,” a music video starring Seinfeld and lots of kids riding in a bus, running around, and splashing themselves with black and yellow paint is a fun, though pointless, diversion; an informative little featurette titled “Tech of Bee Movie” includes interviews with the directors and Seinfeld; and the crowd-pleasing “Inside the Hive: The Cast of Bee Movie,” is a featurette showing Seinfeld laughing it up with fellow cast members as they develop their characters.

The copyright of the article Review of Bee Movie on DVD in Animated Films is owned by Leslie C. Halpern. Permission to republish Review of Bee Movie on DVD in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.