Geeks logo

Movie Review: The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature

Coming to terms with Hollywood at its most creatively bankrupt.

By Sean PatrickPublished 7 years ago 3 min read
Like

To call out The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature for creative bankruptcy would be as futile as calling out Congress for its corruption. Sure, both of those assessments are of equal accuracy but they are also empty facts of life that aren’t going to change simply because we point them out. So, what then do we make of The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature? Now that we’ve accepted the creative bankruptcy what is left for us to ponder?

The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature, picks up where 2014’s The Nut Job left off with Surly Squirrel (Will Arnett) and his woodland pals living the high life in their adopted home inside a nut shop. The gravy train of free nuts seems endless but Surly’s gal-pal Andie (Katherine Heigl) remains worried. Andie wants everyone to get out of the nut shop and go forage in the park just in case something ever happens to their gravy train. Her concerns are laughed off until something does happen and the nut shop explodes, thankfully with our characters on the outside.

Left homeless and without a food source, Surly leads his crew back into the park only to find that the town’s corrupt Mayor (Bobby Moynihan), who literally has the phrase EmBzzler as his license plate, is demolishing the park in favor of an amusement park filled with garish, overpriced and highly unsafe rides; because apparently demolishing the park isn’t enough, kids need to know that the Mayor is getting kickbacks for his unsafe choices. Hey, what kid doesn’t love plots about corrupt politicians?

Naturally, the animal pals look to Surly for a plan and he’s got a whopper, a literal war with the machines that are tearing up the park. This leads to an action scene in which the animals battle bulldozers and earth-movers and cause as much damage to the park as the bulldozers and earth-movers were doing without the aid of the animals attempting to destroy them. When our furry friends are thwarted in their efforts they must find a new home or find another way to fight back that doesn’t get them all killed.

In case the plot description didn’t grab you don’t worry because The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature has a brand-new character that is guaranteed to go right for your wallet. Jackie Chan provides the voice of Mr. Feng, a cute little mouse who was once a forest dweller but was driven to the city by the same corrupt Mayor now taking away Surly’s home. Mr. Feng’s schtick is that though he and his fellow mice are adorable they cannot stand being called cute and when they are called cute they react with violence.

Mr. Feng is both an obvious plot device, a Deus Ex-Mouse-ina if you will, (what, it’s funnier than Nutty by Nature), and the reason The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature exists: new merchandise! Yes, Mr. Feng is the cuddly stuffed animal that will reside in claw machines for the next decade and a half. The big adorable eyes and fluffy white fur are an unbridled attempt to capitalize on the Minions toy market and are at the heart of the creative bankruptcy that is the hallmark of The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature.

Forget all of that stuff about having jokes or plots or characters, we’ve got merch to push and with Jackie Chan’s incredible popularity in the Asian markets, who needs to make a funny movie or even a good movie? All the makers of The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature needs are 90 minutes and a few American tickets sold in order to fire up the cash machine that is the stuffed animal and foreign markets. Don’t be surprised that The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature has already paid for itself by the time the end of the opening weekend as it is a machine built just for such an achievement.

So, what is there to ponder about The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature beyond its soulless, empty capitalism? Nothing really. The jokes aren't funny but they aren't offensive either. The voice work is mildly amusing, especially the always droll Will Arnett, but who cares? The voice work could be incredible and it still would not change the empty, coal-black heart of The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature. In the end, I guess, what I am pondering is not so much the movie as the utter futility of pondering this movie at all.

moviereview
Like

About the Creator

Sean Patrick

Hello, my name is Sean Patrick He/Him, and I am a film critic and podcast host for the I Hate Critics Movie Review Podcast I am a voting member of the Critics Choice Association, the group behind the annual Critics Choice Awards.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.