The Ant Bully

A kid torments an ant colony in his yard until the insects magically shrink him down to their size to teach him a lesson. Written and directed by John A. Davis (from John Nickle’s children’s book), this CGI feature rashly invites comparison with 1998’s A Bug’s Life, and the truth is it’s simply not in that league. But if you can put that Pixar classic and the similar Antz out of your mind—just try!—this one does have its charms. The animation is bright and smooth, and the story is short and sweet. The celebrity voices are generally effective, although the familiarity is a little distracting at times. (Is that Tom Hanks? No, it’s Nicolas Cage.) Still, it’s pleasant enough, with a nice (albeit somewhat heavy-handed) object lesson about being a team player and showing consideration for others.