DreamWorks’ Bee Movie, despite its unusual premise, has garnered a dedicated cult following over the years and is currently trending on Netflix. Co-written and starring Jerry Seinfeld as the voice of the anthropomorphic bee, Barry B. Benson, Bee Movie follows the character in his attempt to sue humans for exploiting bees for their honey. The film, with a 49% score on Rotten Tomatoes, hasn’t earned an overwhelming amount of critical praise, unlike DreamWorks’ other successful movies, but has gained somewhat of a second life through online conversations.
The popularity of Bee Movie memes has grown over the years, with many highlighting the film’s surreal premise, the unlikely bond between Barry and a human, and Bee Movie‘s celebrity cameos, like Ray Liotta. While Bee Movie is far from the best film produced by DreamWorks Animation, there’s still a lot within the movie that audiences seem to love. The absurdity of Bee Movie works well in the movie’s favor, as it not only keeps the film part of pop culture conversations online, but it also ensures that there’s always fun to be had when returning to the film.
Bee Movie Has To Be DreamWorks’ Strangest Project To Date
The Bizarre Premise Of The Film Involves An Unexpected Relationship Between Humans And Bees
Bee Movie is by far one of DreamWorks’ strangest films. As Barry’s attempt to sue the human race garners more media attention, the communication between humans and bees increases. The heated trial causes a rift between the human race and bees, and tarnishes the reputation of the latter, ultimately harming their way of living. Most films that feature anthropomorphic characters interacting with humans inject their narratives with magical realism as a way to make sense of such a bond. However, in Bee Movie, the relationship between humans and bees doesn’t take many by surprise.
The Sєxual undertones in Barry and Vanessa’s relationship create a palpable discomfort.
Yet, the weirdest relationship to come from the established connection between humans and bees in Bee Movie is that of Vanessa (Renée Zellweger) and Barry. After saving Barry from being killed by her boyfriend, an unlikely bond between Vanessa and Barry begins to take shape. Though the two aren’t explicitly involved in a romantic relationship, there’s an undeniable flirtation between them. The Sєxual undertones in Barry and Vanessa’s relationship create a palpable discomfort among audiences and add to the film’s overall strangeness, ultimately becoming a big part of the film’s legacy and internet memes.
Once You Embrace This, Bee Movie Is A Great Time
The Movie Nails Its Comedic Tone
Though Bee Movie is largely enjoyed for its “bad” qualities and strangeness, there are still quite a lot of redeeming qualities outside its internet memes that make it fun to watch. Bee Movie‘s writers worked on Seinfeld, and the film is packed with actors who have been celebrated for their comedic performances, including Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, and Patrick Warburton. As a result, Bee Movie‘s humor, no matter how bizarre it gets at times, is quite strong, and there’s something for audiences of all ages to enjoy.
Additionally, Bee Movie features an exciting range of celebrity cameos, with a few of the famous figures voicing fictionalized versions of themselves. These cameos include Oprah Winfrey, Larry King, Sting, and, as previously mentioned, Ray Liotta. While Liotta’s villainous character isn’t up there with DreamWorks’ best villains, his performance is still plenty of fun, with several nods to Liotta’s best movies being worked into the script.
DreamWorks’ Recent Oscar Nominees Are Also Trending On Netflix Right Now
The Wild Robot & Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Are Among Netflix’s Top 10 Movies
Bee Movie isn’t the only DreamWorks film finding success on streaming. According to Netflix, both Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and The Wild Robot are sitting among the top 10 global movies, at #9 and #10, respectively. For Bee Movie to start trending alongside more recent, critically acclaimed DreamWorks films is quite the feat. Bee Movie‘s streaming success 18 years after its release is a testament to its appeal. Bee Movie‘s shortcomings and initial middling response make it easy to overlook at times, but its lasting presence within pop culture at large ensures it’s never fully forgotten.
Source: Netflix
