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Bee Movie (2007)

Director: Steve Hickner, Simon J. Smith

Time Out rating

Average user rating

55 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

It’s something of a coup that Jerry Seinfeld has managed to mangle together 90 minutes worth of semi-decent bee jokes for his feature-writing debut. Alas, it’s probably the only noteworthy aspect in this otherwise waxen slab of digitally animated anthropomorphism which is little more than a series of loosly linked sketches with the odd celebrity cameo (does Sting count?) squeezed into the process for adult viewers. Seinfeld lends his shrill but solipsistic ‘Noo Yoik’ drawl to the voice of Barry B Benson, a sprightly honeybee determined to break free from the punchclock tedium of hive life in order to experience the outside world. In doing so, he makes the shock discovery that humans harvest and consume the honey which so many of his bee brethren have toiled to produce. He decides to file a lawsuit against the entire human race.

Where a film like ‘Ratatouille’ had the good grace to counterbalance some of its more far-fetched plot machinations with a surfeit of wit and wisdom, ‘Bee Movie’ piles up the big asks without once stopping to offer the point to all of this. Passes the time, but undoutedly one for the little ’uns.

Author: David Jenkins

Time Out London Issue 1947: December 12-18 2007

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User reviews of this film

Raul said...

Posted on Nov 21 2011 18:23 Terrible movie is terrible. I expected something grand and creative when I first saw the film in commercials and such thinking it was going to be a good Bee adventure like many of the CGI Films; I was proven wrong. The film lives off it's excessive cliche bee jokes that never seem to end, from starting creative it just went to this whole Human -Bee love, to suing the human race in a long pointless courtroom scene and some-how the moral of the movie is "Do only for the superior, or else it would all go to hell. Don't ever fight the status quo, don't get your rights or the rich and powerful will lose it all and everything will go in chaos." I find that very hard to say as a good ending or even a moral of any sort. The movie didn't even have a moral, just some pointless rant of bees and overdone jokes. It was good on paper, but that was only the first few minutes of it; then later it just seemed like something trying too damn hard to be good it ruins itself, not even good on paper.
Family hated the film, my little sister only enjoyed it for it's appearance but then again she doesn't even know how to distinguish between good or bad so it's not even a win for the film creators.
P.S they constantly over recycle character models and it is a bad eyesore.

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dakotttttta f said...

Posted on Feb 01 2011 17:14 ABSOLUTLY HORRIBLE! my family didnt like it and when i had to watch it in school the other day the instant it came on every hand in the room shot up to go somewhere besides the room!

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manita said...

Posted on Apr 18 2010 18:43 fab film n good enjyd it men lol

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NMexUS said...

Posted on Mar 13 2010 03:56 The very thing that energizes this film may be the thing that garners bad reviews: Jerry Seinfeld. This is a lovely film he's made. Unfortunately, his presence attracts former fans who were, perhaps, expecting more of the same. I was (and am) a Seinfeld fan. His rapier wit remains in this movie. It is, however, tuned to younger folks; and so it's not the same. Nonetheless, it's truly enjoyable. I liked it. It's odd to me so many others don't.

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Thomas said...

Posted on Jun 05 2009 20:34 Watching it at the moment and I gotta saw it's the most retarded thing ever. I suppose it's got the capacity to subdue audiences... but meh

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Angela said...

Posted on May 16 2008 12:53 My two young daughters loved it. Animation was great for my littlen who doesn't usually sit still & the older one thought it was funny & so did I. So all round a great family film. You'll love it!

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ulf said...

Posted on Apr 08 2008 13:55 i really hate the movie. the movie sucks

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artist said...

Posted on Apr 06 2008 11:37 I s2 u *christina steinberg*

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Tom said...

Posted on Feb 23 2008 12:40 Boring, did not get the plot. My son liked it, although I assume only the visual part rather than the jokes which were not really funny at all. I guess, one has to like Seinfeld. I don't. One star because I have to.

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Angela said...

Posted on Feb 17 2008 13:46 Did not like this at all. I almost fell asleep during it. My two boys loved it though. Will give two stars cause boys like it.

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lizzzlee said...

Posted on Feb 14 2008 11:02 A great movie! I really enjoyed it, put a smile on my face.

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vivien the cooley said...

Posted on Feb 01 2008 18:48 a cool film my mum and me went to see it and thought it was so funny!

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DeEGeE said...

Posted on Jan 25 2008 18:14 absouloutely the best

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Jesse said...

Posted on Jan 24 2008 14:04 I Thought It Was A Good Film! Dragged On Abit On Some Things And You May Get More Out Of It If You Are 5-13.
Was Quite Good On The Whole So Only 3 Stars For Me

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jojo said...

Posted on Jan 19 2008 11:44 brilliant, kids and adults loved it.

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