To “Bee” or not to “Bee”? That’s not even the question. Because you already know that if you have kids of a certain age, you’ll have little choice but to take them to see “Bee Movie,” the only big studio animated family picture to be released in months.
So, here’s the real question: Is this comedy about a self-actualizing Manhattan insect any good?
What you can say about Jerry Seinfeld’s first official foray into feature films — as producer, co-writer and vocal protagonist — is yada, yada, yada. It feels like more of the same.
You need not take a can of Raid to this professionally crafted and upbeat adventure. But it does adhere closely if unspectacularly to the current big-screen computer-generated cartoon formula of cute smart-alecky critters in wacky action scenes with just enough quips and black humorto acknowledge the crossover adult audience.
Compared with modern originals like the hilarious first “Shrek” or even this summer’s delightfully involving “Ratatouille,” though, Seinfeld’s pest project can “bee” beat.
The story follows a parody character straight out of “The Graduate” called Barry B. Benson (voiced by Seinfeld). The disaffected young arthropod is uneasy about his future biological destiny to live and soon die a honey-producing worker bee.
One day he gets caught away from his hive and meets the pretty, understanding human florist Vanessa Bloome (Renee Zellweger). After spending more time in the human world with her, he learns about the exploitation of his fellow species mates. It turns out that human companies trap bees into harsh working conditions to produce honey for sale.
The unfair profiteering provokes Barry to file suit against the humans to try to return all that scab honey back to the bees. Barry’s plan goes awry, of course, after “Bee Movie” transitions from coming-of-age story and love story to goofy courtroom “thriller.”
The voice cast is dutifully filled with a large celebrity roster including Matthew Broderick as Barry’s best bee pal, John Goodman as the “Inherit the Wind”-style Southern litigator Layton T. Montgomery, the very funny Patrick Warburton of TV “Seinfeld” as Vanessa’s disgruntled boyfriend and a host of smaller parts for Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, Oprah Winfrey and — as caricature versions of themselves — Larry King and Ray Liotta. Sting also has an amusing cameo role.
Bees? “Sting”? Get it?
Some gags like that one work better than others. The animation is cute, though hardly mind-blowing. What’s left is a harmless diversion that won’t, er, bug you.
But it may not wow you either.
‘Bee Movie’
***
Starring: Voices of Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Matthew Broderick
Directors: Steve Hickner and Simon J. Smith
Rated PG for mild suggestive humor
Running time: 91 minutes
