Though it has subsequently been somewhat overshadowed by the many successes that Pixar has had, A Bug’s Life was the second feature film produced by the studio when it came out. It would go on to earn a tidy sum at the box office as well as critical acclaim.
Though the animation looks a little less polished than what Disney fans see from Pixar these days, the humor of the film actually holds up surprisingly well thanks to these hilarious quotes.
“First Rule Of Leadership: Everything Is Your Fault.”
Hopper
Though Pixar isn’t quite as famous for its villains as its Disney counterpart, Hopper is definitely right up there with the best Disney villains. He might be brutal, but he is smart enough to realize that the ants could very well pose a danger should they ever learn their collective strength.
As this quote shows, he also recognizes the burdens of leadership and that the buck, as it were, stops with him.
“Hey, Cutie! Wanna Pollinate With A Real Bug?
Flies
At the start of A Bug’s Life, Flik traveled to the city to find backup worriers to protect his colony against the grasshoppers. At the same time, a bug circus was going on and viewers saw just how out of sorts these circus acts were.
Since Francis was a ladybug, the viewers assumed he was a lady. They spewed all kinds of flirtations his way before they realized Francis was a male who was not interested in them. One of the more adult lines thrown Francis’ way was when a fly made an adult joke about pollinating with a “real bug.” Francis told the flies off, of course, but he had one of the best Pixar endings because he became more masculine by accepting his feminine side while
“Hey, Waiter, I’m In My Soup.”
Fly
One of the things that makes A Bug’s Life such a pleasure and a joy to watch is the way in which it takes such pleasure in playing with language. In this case, it turns the classic joke about a fly being in a diner’s soup and puts it in the mouth of the fly in question.
It’s a joke that probably would go over the heads of most of the kids watching the film, but it’s one that might tickle the funny bones of any adults in the audience. Speaking of, A Bug’s Life is one of the best Pixar movies for adults.
“That’s How My 12th Husband Died. So, Now I’m A Widow.”
Rosie
The black widow spider is one of those creatures that typically devours the male of the species once mating is done. Unironically, women who lose their husbands are also called widows — the same name as the spider.
Fortunately, this particular joke in the film takes the teeth out of that unfortunate association a bit, and it makes Rosie seem less threatening and more amusing. A question Pixar fans wished the movie answered, however, was how long Rosie had been in the bug circus if she’s had 12 husbands. Regardless, Rosie is a strong character and offers a sense of comedic relief throughout the film.
“Hey, Turn Your Butt Off!”
Francis
Lightning bugs (or, in some parts of the country, fireflies) are one of the best things about summer. As this quote reveals, however, they’re also a good source of comedy, as when Francis tells a lightning bug to turn his butt off.
While Francis could have been a legendary female character in Pixar, he surprised audiences in the best way by actually being male. It’s one of those moments that seems designed to appeal to a kid’s sense of humor, certainly, but it’s the rare adult who wouldn’t also smile at least a bit at this cute little moment.
“I’m The Only Stick With Eyeballs!”
Slim
Slim was one of Disney’s best sidekicks because he was calm, cool, and collected in the face of danger. As an insect who looked just like a stick, Slim blended in perfectly with nature.
The only problem was that when the group was on the run, Slim was easily missed because he blended into the background. In this scene, Francis looked for Slim but lost him in a sea of sticks. Hilariously, Slim reminded Francis he was the “only stick with eyeballs.”
“I’m A Beautiful Butterfly!”
Heimlich
Heimlich was one of Disney’s best characters. As a caterpillar, he had an adorable accent was nice and plump for his future plan of transforming into a butterfly.
As one of the funniest characters in A Bug’s Life, fans were excited when he eventually transformed into a butterfly and he screamed, “I’m a beautiful butterfly!” In excitement. Like Flik and the rest of the warriors, everyone wanted what was best for Heimlich.
“Pretend It’s A Seed, Okay?”
Dot
At the start of the movie, Flik proved what kind of character he was by showing off his unique engineering skills. As an ant, he had a hard time following the colony because he had so many other ideas that could be used as helpful inventions. Sadly, not many people took him seriously.
In one scene, Flik showed Dot an invention and asked her to pretend a rock was a seed. Dot didn’t understand the analogy and it created silly banter between the two of them. But one of the best A Bug’s Life quotes was when Dot used the same analogy for Flik when he was down on his luck. It brought everything full circle.
“Ants Don’t Serve Grasshoppers! It’s You Who Need Us!”
Flik
It was hard to watch Flik and his colony get bullied by a group of aggressive grasshoppers. Hopper and his flock of hitmen used the colony to serve them food during the rainy months. However, when Flik realized how powerful his colony was, and that they could stand up to Hopper — a change in the tide occurred.
This quote was one of the best because Flik proved that Hopper and his group of grasshoppers needed the ants much more than the ants needed the grasshoppers. With this kind of thinking, the grasshoppers would surely lose.
“How Many Roaches Does It Take To Screw In A Light Bulb? Can’t Tell. Soon As The Light Goes On, They Scatter.”
One of the things that really stands out about A Bug’s Life is how it manages to make the most out of every available opportunity to make a bug-related joke.
Of course, it helps that the “screwing in a light bulb” joke is one of the most flexible ones around, so it makes sense that the movie would decide to use it but also turn it on its head. Kids laugh at the cockroaches, and adults chuckle at Slim’s cleverness while entertaining the grasshoppers in order to save the queen.
“Rub Your Legs Together For The World’s Greatest Bug Circus!”
There’s so much to love about this quote. From the way that it starts with “Gentlemen” and “gentle bugs” to the way that it takes the typical “put your hands together” and changes it to “put your legs together.”
It’s one of those quotes that doesn’t really call attention to itself but nevertheless indulges in the sort of wordplay that would become a key part of Pixar’s identity as a studio, bringing pleasure to larvae and adults alike. Slim was rather underrated, but he was one of the best Pixar characters who doesn’t get enough love.
“For The Colony, And For Oppressed Ants Everywhere!”
Though of course, A Bug’s Life has many funny moments, there are some that are genuinely inspiring and remind viewers that part of what makes Pixar films so enjoyable are the ways that they manage to talk about important things, such as the ability of even the most oppressed people to rise up and overthrow those who are terrorizing them.
Thus, there is something incredibly inspiring about this Disney quote from Flik, which reminds viewers that every action they take influences those elsewhere.
“Making All Stops To The Septic Tank, Including Standing Water, Empty Bean Can, And Dead Rat!”
Bus Beetle
An obvious part of the appeal of A Bug’s Life to children is the way that it makes those things that are typically gross and disgusting somehow both humorous and also true to life.
On the bug bus, viewers get to see the various parts of nature that are less than appealing. At the same time, the film also shows fans how necessary insects are to the cycle of life, death, and decay. It’s not a Pixar quote that changed the whole story, but it’s one of the best A Bug’s Life quotes.
“Hey, Bartender! Bloody Mary! O-Positive!”
Mosquito
Mosquitos love biting their victims for a taste of blood as their main source of nutrients. Thankfully, A Bug’s Life goes a long way toward making these sinister little creatures look a lot less threading.
And while it’s a joke, seeing this Pixar mosquito order a drop of blood and drink it like a cocktail at a bar was both parts hilarious and gross. Viewers do have to give the writers and animators credit for being so witty with this quote.
“You’ve Got A Lot Of Spunk Kid, But No One’s Gonna Help A Bunch Of Ants.”
The Queen
One of the hardest things to accept is someone in authority telling another person (or ant) to be content with the way things are, to accept a status as one of the lowly. This is certainly the sentiment expressed by the Queen.
But it’s one that Flik is absolutely determined to overcome. With his spunk that eventually saves the day, Flik shows viewers that there’s value in continuing to fight, even when it’s not clear that anyone is going to fight with us. And while the focus of the movie was on Flik, the Queen was one of Pixar’s more relatable characters.
“You Piece Of Dirt! No, I’m Wrong. You’re Lower Than Dirt. You’re An Ant!”
There’s a lot to love about A Bug’s Life, but there are times when it is not very subtle in its efforts to get viewers to see the grasshoppers as the epitome of exploitative evil.
As this quote makes clear, they really do see the ants as the lowest of the low, and as a result, they hold them in something even worse than contempt. With A Bug’s Life quotes like this, it was for the best that Hopper gets what’s coming to him in the end. His villainous lines made him one of Pixar’s best villains.
