Hoot (2006): Dir: Wil Shriner / Cast: Logan Lerman, Brie Larson, Luke Wilson, Tim Blake Nelson, Cody Linley: Misfiring family film about serving a cause. After being moved several times, the new kid now resides in Florida where he is bullied but eventually he teams with two independent teenagers in their struggle to save ground owls from a construction site. From the makers of Holes yet lacking the intelligence and wit of that wonderful film. Setup is rushed and structure contains a pointless subplot regarding a school bully. Director Wil Shriner does his best but even the ending is ridiculous with a foolish standoff that would seem laughable in within the maddest of slapstick comedies. Luke Wilson does his best as a rookie cop but the role is cardboard. He is the standard cop often seen in these films that is expected to do little but ends up solving the case. Logan Lerman and Brie Larson play two of the teenagers whose actions are far from believable. Tim Blake Nelson plays an idiot who manages the site for construction. Cody Linley plays Larson's ambitious stepbrother who also has a knack for being on the opposite end of the law when attempting a statement. Great message about endangered wildlife and other issues taken for granted. Regretfully it is reduced to stupidity with its misplaced humour and a script should have been placed in one of those owl holes and buried. Score: 3 / 10
Review of Hoot
