There, he befriends a florist, files a lawsuit against celebrity honey-purveyor Ray Liotta, and eventually causes a big eco-disaster. (A truly silly final reel borrows heavily from Airport ‘75.) Entomologists take note: As in other animated films about bugs, these insects have expressive human faces, walk upright and fret over lifestyle issues; mysteriously, these bees also only have four limbs. On the upside, they’re oh so cute — I loved the selection of yellow-and-black clothing each bee sports — and a lot funnier than real bees. There’s a low buzz from embedded messages about bio-diversity and working together, but Stephen Hickner and Simon J. Smith’s brightly colored film is mostly giggly fun. 

This article appears in Nov 8-14, 2007.

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