Disclosure: I read the novel with my son for his bookclub. I borrowed the DVD to see if the film adaption is a worthy companion piece (tl/dr; it's not).

The book is divided into 3 acts:
[spoiler]
1. The first act is a mystery. A new kid (Roy) moves to Florida. He sees something strange and investigates.
2. The second act is a friendship among three unlikely kids.
3. The final act is about the environment. While this final act isn't the page turner the first two acts are, it is told with respect.
[/spoiler]

The novel writer **Carl Hiaasen** was reportedly heavily involved in the film (he did not write the screenplay) and the first act is extremely faithful to the novel. Unfortunately, the pacing is rushed and execution is too lightweight, unfortunately greatly diminishing the mysterious elements.

The second and third acts falter significantly. They are hampered by casts (3 kids) being too old and glamorous to be unpopular middle school students. And oddly wrong choice of music by Jimmy Buffett, which makes already already watered down execution even more lightweight.

To me, the book is about exposing the bullies (e.g., Mother Paula's Pancakes, Dana, bad parents, bad school staff) and how it is up to us and the community to help one another to stand up for what's right. The movie turned bullies into caricatures, diluting the book's messages.

Based on a preteen-friendly novel, _Hoot_ follows a quiet boy, freshly transplanted from a happy life in Montana, to his new home under the Florida sun. There, he runs afoul of bullies (a majority of the school population is unreasonably aggressive) and joins a small team of environmentally-conscious peers in sabotaging the construction of a new pancake restaurant. A parliament of burrowing owls have taken up residence on the land, you see, so the kids aim to make life difficult for the construction crew in hopes the whole deal will fall through. Somehow, they imagine, a sack of wild snakes will dissuade the forklifts but ignore the nearby family of conveniently meal-sized fowl.

It's a weak, Disney Channel-quality adaptation at best, despite the presence of a few recognizable actors. Tim Blake Nelson is the long-suffering construction manager, constantly rubbing his palms together and bemoaning "these darn kids" like a cartoon villain. Luke Wilson is his closest confidant, a dopey sheriff who aims to do good but falls for every lame trick in the book. Mr. Margaritaville, Jimmy Buffett, cameos as a chill middle school teacher (he also provides the ill-suited music) and a very young Brie Larson shows charisma but rudimentary acting chops in a large, early supporting role. Hammy performances, awkward editing, amateur production values, one-dimensional characters and plot holes for miles... whoah, even for lightweight kiddie fare, this is a bad one.