DreamWorks Animation is well-versed at making films with talking animals (Madagascar), monsters (Shrek), sharks (Shark Tale) and more. But Bee Movie is one of the studio’s first animated films to relate to adults, and despite its insect characters, does so successfully.

A direct result of Jerry Seinfeld’s writing and comic abilities, the movie delivers a grown-up commentary on humanity, with special effects and a ludicrous storyline to keep the kids satisfied. Seinfeld discussed working on the film in a conference call with The Diamondback.

“One of the things I’m most excited about … is there doesn’t seem to be any specific target audience for it,” Seinfeld said.

The film focuses on Barry B. Benson (Seinfeld, The Thing About My Folks), a bee who has just finished school and is ready to begin work in the hive, as all other bees do. But once Benson realizes the beehive job is monotonous and repetitive, he decides he wants to do something different and see the world, a ridiculous aspiration for a simple worker bee.

Unfortunately for Benson, the only bees that leave the hive are jocks who collect the nectar, and they insist Benson is too small to handle the arduous task. But when they finally agree to take Benson on one of their nectar-collecting missions, he is entranced by the outside world – so much so that he gets stuck to a tennis ball, flung into a moving vehicle, trapped in the rain and separated from the group.

Seeking shelter from the rain, Benson rests on an apartment windowsill. Yet when he travels inside, Benson is almost squished by a human, Ken (Patrick Warburton, Family Guy), before another human, Vanessa Bloome (Renée Zellweger, Miss Potter), saves him. Later, Benson comes back to thank her, and the two begin a friendship.

The majority of the film’s adult appeal is within the dialogue between Benson and Vanessa. Benson, much like his creator, Seinfeld, has a big-picture perspective on society – but a more hilarious one, considering he is a bee. His character subtly comments on everything from Larry King’s suspenders to movie stars who will slap their names on any product for an extra buck (in this case, Ray Liotta, who has his own brand of honey in the film), all delivered with Seinfeld’s classic “What’s up with that?” brand of humor.

“I do the same kind of ideas and writing that I did for the TV show or in my standup,” Seinfeld said of writing the film. “I think the movie has the same kind of tone.”

But the film isn’t all comedy – soon, issues regarding humans’ enslavement of bees (how else do you think we get all that honey?), urban landscapes and environmentalism also come to the forefront. Some scenes, such as S.W.A.T. teams forcibly taking honey from everyone, are touches of adult indulgence that reach out to an older audience.

Bee Movie is a perfect blend of sometimes subtle, sometimes in-your-face comedy, added to an over-the-top storyline that is just right for an animated film. Seinfeld, along with other cameos by Chris Rock, Oprah Winfrey and John Goodman, make the movie relatable to grown-ups, and the whole thing is topped off with a warm, fuzzy ending that leaves viewers feeling at peace with the world and – at least for a little while – with insects.

cpomeroy@umd.edu

RATING: 4.5 stars out of 5