You gotta remember: in battle the termites may ACT like savage beasts, but earlier on it was established they were peaceful neighbors to the ant colony and the general used them as a ploy to wipe out the ant soldiers loyal to the queen. The termites were only defending their home and people from an unprovoked attack, and were completely exterminated for it. The final shots of the aftermath of the battle don't just show the countless dead ants, but all the TERMITES who were killed unjustly as well. Both sides were innocent pawns of a corrupt and selfish political figure who manipulated the masses into dying for his own agenda and taking out an enemy that didn't even really exist. Frankly, I've never seen a better allegory for war in any other film.
Remember the Christmas Truce of 1914 Soldiers sent to kill one another by a corrupted government who can’t get along. And those enemy soldiers stopped to celebrate Christmas together
@@quchi7232 starship troopers was amazing. I remember seeing it as a kid before we could check what movie it was on the screen and everytime it was on I was just glued. Then one day they said STARSHIP TROOPERS and I was so happy. Same makers as Robocop
@@knightr0685 If you think about it, yes. Ants have existed for millions of years prior to that of humans. And throughout their entire existence, they have been in a permanent state of war with colonies and other species of ants neighboring their territories. The overall death toll of ants through conflict with one another is likely in the trillions, if not higher.
@@half-trackproductions When I think about it even more, following each extinction event they probably even had their own version of a Mad Max dystopia. *Giant meteor kills dinosaurs* Ants looking at the huge crispy carcasses: "Oh what a day. What a lovely day!"
When I was much younger, I never understood things, but now as I'm in my late teens, this quote is powerful. That's what I love about these older movie's.
@@jakobwilliamzachariassen2640 no it's not. It's one of the most typical and cliche messages in media nowadays. I'd be really deep maybe 60 or 70 years ago
Benq 300 nowadays its way way typical and cliche, this right here was cliche and stuff but like now its way way more out there. Like i cringe at the shit i see now a days, this i think is refreshing compared to the current stuff. Like this has actual meaning to it and isn’t some surface level quotes that people don’t actually follow while still saying them and acting wise and all while not being it.
The general sends forces loyal to the monarch on a suicide war, while keeping forces loyal to him fresh to fight against the monarch.... I was there, when Horus slew the Emperor....
One thing this scene does well is that it definitely has sympathy for both sides, The Ant soldiers are being sent on a suicide mission, just so they won’t interfere with the villains plans, and the termites are defending themselves from and unprovoked attack….. Man this movie goes deep….
Barbatus was such a badass. Gives his spear to Z and climbs up the termite, attacking either barehanded or with a knife of some kind.The after the battle scene is just amazing too.
I remember it being just as undertoned as it was back in 1998. The whole message of the movie was of course not as understandable as it is now that I'm an adult.
@@quinna5537 Pretty sure that Johnny comes Marching Home is a cadence about Union soldiers returning their dead comrades to their families in coffins during the 1st American Civil War.
Kinda different as it's a TV show, but it's also still directed at kids so... The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was BRUTAL. Torture, death, murder scenes, you name it. The balls to make this in 2019, no wonder it (sadly) got canceled.
It's actually quite sad, yes. It's our backyard. To them however, it's a Battlefield where many good soldiers fell. For the good of their colony, of course. Or a different reason, unsure.
Also probably in your house when another species of ants come in and meet the other species of ant that inhabitant in your kitchen area and they went total war occasionally your mom or your dad sees them and bug spray both side into oblivion.
Yeah, not to mention slavery. When outsider ants surrender, they are brought to the queen where she sprays them with pheromones to make them subservient to her and her colony.
Antz in my opinion is a perfect depiction of war for a young adult, z was Practically a teenager sent into a violent battle completely unprepared and Barbados was the only ant to have his back and treat him like a friend and died before he did and Z had to be with him in his dying moments. in only knowing him a few short hours Z trusted him and survived an apocalyptic battle and watch thousands of his fellow ants and his only friend die it’s a harsh reality of what war really is.
@@legogeneralgrievous4218 well there is also when Carter opened his eyes and helped Z by socking General mandible. Carter saw how z can unite everyone, making him a great leader because he has a mind of his own and leaves no man behind. which general mandible is the total opposite, he's greedy and lusted for power eventually turning his back on the colony in the future by committing genocide for his needs .
Well, I think the horrible reality of war is, that you would most likely be among the killed and crippled. And even if you get out mostly unharmed, you will come back to a society that has abandoned you and went on so much further with its life that you will never be able to catch up again. Not sure how that is depicted here.
@@biligbaatarusukhbayar7042 Explain HOW is it better than "Saving Private Ryan" which is condsidered to be the most accurate and realistic portrayal of a war in film.
@@biligbaatarusukhbayar7042 Good point, thanks for sharing your opinion. That is how people should ALWAYS be. Instead we live in a world where EVERYONE has to have the same opinion regarding a particular topic such as a movie, book, video game, celebrity, political event etc.
@@kendrickrochelanzot2053 Yeah even though it scared the shit outta me when I was younger and made me sad af, I can't help but appreciate the film for its darker tone despite being for kids, it's what made it more enjoyable for me.
Lieutenant Antony Antos, supreme commander of the (loyal) ant regiments that marched against the termites which they had peaceful relations with. His supreme officer, General Mandible ordered him to counter strike and non existing threat. When the time was there, the lieutenant only had to flip. He knew where the enemy was. He turned around, and knife handed the direction screaming the goosebumps giving charge sign “ATTACK”.
Being a mature person is realizing that it is a matter of personal tastes and we can't really compare two completely different movies for the sake of bashing one of them just because they present the same animal protagonist.
3:25 “ATTACK!” Gives me goosebumps every time. Man I love this movie! I watched this so many times when I was a kid. This came out in 1998. I was five years old. Wow time flies.
I was literally 6 months old when this came out! and I didn't even see it until I was 13 which was just the right age for me to appreciate its mature themes and commentary on social order.
Not to mention further into teh battle, the small snippets of other soldiers communicating with one another, i.e "C'mon!", adds weight to this battle scene.
I was amazed by how they really made a personality for each ant soldier, their heights, their faces, their colors, and even their movements when marching aren't synced together
right. and so sad to know that God heart veteran sacrifice him self looking out for you. probably looked for you worried around in a skirmish with the enemies.
When a 90s animated film targeted to kids managed to portray the horrors of war accurately. I remember thinking Barbados’ body was buried underneath all the rubble, but the fact they made it just his head really pushes the dark aspect
It's kind of impressive that they wrote the battle like this. Them falling into a ambush instead of swarming the termites like planned makes it feel even more hopeless but even when they're surrounded they still manage to charge and turn it from a ambush into a full on brawl. It makes you bounce between dread and hope and determination and I imagine people have always felt a mix of those emotions in war. Even though he's scared he still tries to help after Barbatus reassures him and he sees him charge off. Unfortunately they don't really show if they really won or not. It's very possible the termites just went back into their colony after the ants were all dead and Z is just lucky he left before they started dealing with the bodies.
@@maliikprior5243A bunch of termites. The rest likely did return to their nest. Besides like ants termites have their own queens ready replenish their number.
"why don't we just try and influence their political process with campaign contributions" As i kid i didn't understand this. Now this cracks me up and makes me sad
I believe the problem here was the part of "your whole life" & "Think for yourself" good to follow orders but we must decide when to stop and look for another way. Being a rebel is a good way to end up dead sooner than later. If ya think something is not good dont give ya the right to not follow all the rules.
The irony is that at the bar, he is a little jealous of Weaver because he gets to "meet interesting insects and kill them", yet when he actually goes to war, he is scared and sees the horror of war.
0:58 "don't worry kid, i'll watch out for ya," anyone who has been in the military will know what it is like to say this/receive this message from someone.
Among all the other great stuff I missed as a kid, I'm so impressed that they managed to insert so many female soldiers without making them sterotypes or sexualised.
Fun Fact: Ants and Termites are natural enemies, and termites are in fact a heck of a lot larger than ants but in battle, ants annihilate termites. The Ants are a lot more aggressive than the termites and have strength in larger numbers. Ants are also known to raid termite nests and even eat them sometimes
If they were Argentine ants, it'd be even more of a bloodbath. The Argentines would still overrun the termites, but they'd take horrific casualties, even worse than these ants, cause they're still pretty small, and they'd have multiple queens supporting them, cause this is probably in America, and most of the colonies are actually part of a single mega colony.
Speaking as someone who grew up watching this movie, and then served in the Army for 8 years; I can definitely say that Barbatus' last advice still strikes a cord with me to this day.
Honestly one of the greatest war scenes in cinematic history and it is in a kids movie! The march into war, the ambush, the ruthlessness of the action and the aftermath. The dialogue between Barbatus and Z has no business being that good in a kida movie.
"I used to believe that being a good soldier meant doing everything they told ya, that's how they engineered us. But I was wrong, we are not programmed, you have to learn to make your own decisions" - Captain Rex clone wars series
+Feinnewedd Syln Black Ant DLC $7.99 Blood and Acid DLC $2.99 Termite Campaign DLC $14.99 Crazy Ant Campaign DLC $7.99 The Last Ant Campaign DLC $14.99
@@anthonyramirez9925 if you think this you are gravely mistaken. The point of the mission was to kill them, the general knew that there was no way possible they would survive. It is show that they were horribly outmatched and pretty much doomed. Even weaver would get clapped
You’re a Hero, Z. Not because you survived gruelling combat or made it home, but because you held a dying comrade in your arms and let him give his final words amid a battlefield of his fellows who went on ahead.
3:46 in case anyone’s wondering: yes, termites actually can do that. It’s called the fontanellar gun, and can “fire” bursts of a glue-like substance over a distance of centimetres. The force with which the substance is launched is often enough to kill whatever poor insect it hits with just the sheer impact, but if they survive, the substance itself will kill them over a span of 24-48 hours. Nature is so cool!
@CalvinV7 Between termites and ants? It varies by species but yes this kind of disparity could happen between one species of termite and another of ant.
This scene sort of messed me up when I was a kid. I remember thinking..."Where's Barbatus body? Why is he buried?" When Z picked up his head is when I realize his body is separated/chopped clean off from his head.
2:10 If you think about it, the flying ants are technically all princesses or princes of the queen, and it's common in fiction, both in film and mythology, for royals to be absolute badasses in combat. So technically these guys are the elites of this army, you'd think at least a couple would survive to return to the colony after the battle. EDIT: Also shouldn't there be maybe a few times as many workers following in a sort of wagon train behind the army to collect the dead from both sides, seeing as all of those dead would probably serve as a great source of food for the colony for a while?
It would be very cool if I or someone would do some ant war movie where ants use kinda modern war weapons and other toys, ballistic gel and airsoft weapons
If it was an actual sanctioned army by the queen there probably would have been keep in mind these soldiers are loyal to the queen and the general sent them to die so his coup will succeed, so they were sent to die without evidence of their fight.
That bit of "don't follow orders" is quite silly. The general was right in his speech. That's why soldiers live. The individual doesn't matter. Only the colony matters.
***** Not in the case of the ants. It may apply to us, but it doesn't for them. Each and every thing they do is for "the good of the society", because is th eonly kind of life they can have. You consider it from a human perspective, but not one of those soldiers knew about the General's plans. They were sent by the queen, died for her. How and why don't matter. And besides, what are a couple hundred of soldiers? They can easily be replaced. The individual is not important, the only thing that matters is the colony.
I was 7 when I saw this movie and I feel like it impacted me in a way that made me think about actions and their consequences; kids this days need to watch this masterpiece. This movie inspires.
Barbatus: “don’t make my mistake, kid. Don’t follow orders your whole life. Think for yourself.” My mom: “GO TO YOUR ROOM!” *7yr old me yelling: “I WILL NO LONGER SERVE YOU!!”
AmericanWarrior1776 the Grasshoppers knew this, it was explicitly stated that they spend a long time making the ants feel as small and worthless as they did, just so the ants didnt kill them
***** that is why the Grasshoppers were doing this...they probably started when the colony first got started, and kept on going over and over, never letting the ants realize how baddass they were
"Why don't we try to influence their political process through campaign contributions" Lmaooo oh man, as a kid I had no idea what this meant. Now that I've voted a few times and pay attention to politics, this line is absolute genius
The “over the top” reference was genius, referring back to WW1 where going over the trenches and charging forward against fortified enemy lines almost always meant death,
Can we just take a second to admire how intense and well put together of a battle scene this was for a animated kids movie... That was made over 20 years ago.. Lol 😂 the music, the build up and the fluctuating levels of intensity are spot on. Modern movies and shows struggle to get battle scenes that hit like that which is hilarious! 😂
Barbatus's death is the heartbreaking 💔 part of this movie. He and Z just meet for 3 minutes and then fight in the same battle where one of them dies while the other lives. But Barbatus kept Z safe like he had promised. ❤ 💙 💜 💖 💗 💘 ❤
@@ZaWardo151 Everyone is different though, right? This scene traumatized my sister as well (she just pointed to the title on Netflix and ranted about how much she hates the movie for it, which is why I googled the scene just now lmao), and I guarantee I'll never get her to watch it. Supernatural (tv show) is the "darkest" show she's willing to watch, and then there are those like me. I was TERRRIFIED of E.T growing up, for God knows what reason, and now I'll watch just about anything with a few exclusions, while my cousin loved horror movies at a young age. It's funny how people start and grow differently. There's nothing weak about this guy! :)
*Order 66 Outside Jedi Temple* We clones go marching one by one Hurra Hurra! We slaughter Jedi just for fun Hurra Hurra! Shiny 501 Clone: So theses Jedi, they're not gonna put up a fight. I mean, talking about shooting them right? Veteran 501 Clone: Not really Kid, they have light sabers and The Force. ARC behind: Hey! Keep It moving Shiny! We clones go marching two by two Hurra! Hurra! We all be dead before we're through Hurra! Hurra! Shiny 501 Clone: Say, exactly what does our Platoon do? Do we service beverages or require paperwork? Veteran 501 Clone: Our Platoon has The Best assignment of all, we're The first in to battle! We Clones go marching three by three Hurra! Hurra! *Hurra! Hurra!* We're of to face our destiny Hurra! Hurra! Shiny 501 Clone: Hey wait a minute, we're being too nasty over here. I mean how are you guys beating them? Veteran 501 Clone: Superior numbers Kid! Overwhelm defenses, Kill The Council. We Clones go marching four by four Hurra! Hurra! You'll find that there's a million More Hurra! Hurra! Shiny 501 Clone: Hey that being too serious, why don't we do some political poll on the Senate? Veteran 501 Clone: I like you Kid! You have some Sense of humor! Anakin: FORWARD!!! Veteran 501 Clone: Come on! Let's kick some Jedi Butts!
0:59 I was a little guy myself when I first saw this in elementary school. Just hearing that line warms my heart. I have a good friend who was big and strong and always looked out for all of us.
@@drfye Well, they have the Lasgun... which in theory can by charged, by throwing it's battery into a fire or exposing it to sunlight for a longer time. Only the specialist guns might run out of ammo. But on the other hand, looking at the guns.. they are almost worthless, compred to other weapons in the Imperial Arsenal.
@@josynaemikohler6572 Throwing the battery into the fire does charges the power cell but it kills it makes its life shorter Is a one "last resort" thing to do
The Battle of the Termites was the deadliest battle during the Antz-Termites War in 1998. The battle started after the mobilisation of Termites troops near the colony. In the colony, the ants decided to send a preventive attack. Near 800 soldiers marched to the camp, and at 22:00 hours they started a charge against the Termites troops, finding themselves cornered. Five minutes later, the Termites army started an ambush. The battle ended the next day without a clear result, and both armies completely destroyed
The battle started because General Mandible was a sociopath who wanted to send Ants loyal to the Queen to a battle they couldn’t win so no one would be there to defend the queen
A excellent depiction of war, with real consequences. Those scenes of the aftermath, and Barbados a disembodied wounded soldier, contrasts with the glory we saw as they marched into battle.
In the mind of a stupid, "anti-war" activist, maybe. Believe it or not, there is much more to military tactics than bellowing "CHARGE" and creating a mosh pit-melee.
