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.