Boo Movie

If a movie portrayed bees getting gassed in a hive like it was a concentration camp, a famous black comedian represented as a bloodsucking insect, Winnie The Pooh getting hit with a tranquilizing dart, and the Caucasian race getting blamed for the exploitatation of bees for the production of honey, would you take your kid to go see it? I did and boy, did I feel stung when I left the theater after watching Bee Movie.

After seeing Dreamwork’s newest animated feature starring the voice of Jerry Seinfeld as the cute little litigious bee, Barry B. Benson my thoughts were unsettled to say the least. The plot steals a little from The Graduate as Benson decides not to conform to his pre-destined role as a worker bee. He defies the order of the hive and takes time out to not be ok with his lot as a bee. In fact there is a scene that’s directly lifted from The Graduate where he is laying on a floating chaise lounge on a pool of honey just like Hoffman’s character (Benjamin Braddock) in The Graduate doing a similar act in a pool, getting harangued by his parents about making a choice, all of which came after Barry had left the hive to experience the delights of the outside world, including the perky and protective Vanessa, which features the voice of Renee Zellwegger.

Barry falls head-over-stinger for her and takes up residence at her New York apartment. Encouraged by her, Barry decides to take on the human race and sue them for their enforced servitude of bees (sue bee–get it!!! ha ha–funny). Barry talks by the way and not only does he talk, he plays a mean civil litigator, shredding the human appointed attorney–a fat-assed and decidedly unlikable southerner (voice provided by John Goodman). Barry is victorioous and bees are no longer forced to produce honey. in fact, all available honey is returned to them as some form of reparation. The bees have it good now, but the humans are screwed. We need the bees and what they do for us and now look to them to save us.

What treacle.

The film is mean spirited and injects memes that are dark and innapropriate for young children. I hope the buzz on this film fades before more drones lap up this sticky mess.

As a parent I do not recommend this film.