In 2014, Lepeniotis co-wrote and directed the animated feature The Nut Job. The movie featured a squirrel protagonist who was not as mean as the character in Lepeniotis’s previous work but still had a surly personality. Despite receiving low ratings from critics, The Nut Job was successful at the box office, earning almost $120 million worldwide, three times its budget. This success led to a green light for a sequel, turns out, the sequel was going to be slightly worse in quality than the original.
How to Download The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature
You can download the film from a digital store. You can also stream it. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review
In The Nut Job 2, the animals of Liberty Park are enjoying their access to an abandoned nut shop. Surly Squirrel, voiced by Will Arnett, is the hero who made it all happen and he, along with many of his friends, has practically moved into the shop’s basement. However, Surly’s friend Andie warns that their current lifestyle is unnatural and that they are forgetting how to find food for themselves.
When it becomes clear that she is right, the animals look to Surly for guidance. He takes his friend Buddy with him to find food, but none of their ideas work and they are attacked by a group of mice led by Mr. Feng. That’s not all though, as the animals of Liberty Park are in danger of becoming homeless. An overweight, selfish politician named the Mayor, plans to destroy the park and build an amusement park on the land. Meanwhile, Precious the Pug is kidnapped by the Mayor’s spoiled daughter.
The animals must band together to save their home and rescue Precious.
There aren’t many children’s films out there that adults can really enjoy, there’s the Disney and Pixar selection of films, but that’s about it usually. However, The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature is a movie that appeals to both kids and adults because it is full of good, clean fun. While the Nut Job 2 has a tighter pace and a more developed story, it still feels overstuffed. The story can be rushed and crowded, sacrificing depth and development for the characters and subplots.
The humor also lacks consistency and could benefit from better timing and a slower pace. The film suffers from trying to do too much at once. It’s not really a ‘good’ film, just a fun time killer that you might have fun watching.
The Animation
One of the things I appreciate about the original film was the quality of the animation, and the sequel carries that legacy forward. The filmmakers put a lot of effort into making the animals’ fur look realistic and giving each character their own unique look. The animation is colorful and vibrant, and the attention to detail in the expressions and backgrounds is impressive. The characters are cute without being overly so, and their designs are polished.
Overall, the animation is a highlight of the film, and one of the aspects that makes it so likable.
The Characters
That is unfortunately where my praises end. The voice acting in The Nut Job 2 is generally decent, but some of the characters are underutilized.
Maya Rudolph stands out with her bubbly and sassy performance. Jackie Chan is also a pleasant surprise, bringing energy and verve to his character. Buddy is my favorite character because the film focuses on using actions and expressions to make him fun and likable without relying too much on dialogue. Will Arnett’s performance was not as strong in this film. Overall, the voice acting could have been better utilized.
The Music
The soundtrack was good here too, but it felt inconsequential. There are barely any character moments that would truly make it stand out, because the film just jumps from one big character moment to another one, and that eventually gets boring after a while.
Verdict
I was surprised to see a sequel to “The Nut Job,” but overall I was not disappointed. The film has a good message, although it relies heavily on cliches. The new characters are good, but they don’t add much to the overall enjoyment of the film. The humor is average, and the story could have been better. In the end, “The Nut Job 2” is an acceptable film, but it could have been better.
