Today’s quick review: A.C.O.R.N.S.: Operation Crackdown. Frankie (Jason Jones), a squirrel thief, breaks out of prison and returns to the forest, only to find that a cosmetics company has harvested all of the acorns. With winter rapidly approaching and no other food available, Frankie, his best friend Cody (Will Forte), and a team of woodland creatures make a plan to break into the comany’s high-security facility and steal the acorns back.
A.C.O.R.N.S.: Operation Crackdown is a budget animated family comedy that pits a band of animal thieves against the company that took their food. A.C.O.R.N.S. aims to be a light spin on the heist genre, using the talents of a team of animals to get past an absurdly advanced security system. But in spite of its best efforts, A.C.O.R.N.S. has major issues with its art, writing, and humor, making it a miss for most audiences.
A.C.O.R.N.S. has a peculiar vision and executes it poorly. The world-building is eclectic. Frankie and his girlfriend Lola (Victoria Justice) are taken straight out of a classic crime movie, but their target is a high-tech facility that belongs in a spy parody. From there, A.C.O.R.N.S. indulges in robots, over-the-top exterminators, and guards that would be at home in a science fiction movie, all without trying to make them feel consistent.
But even if A.C.O.R.N.S. had the subtle touch needed to bring its ideas together, its art style would drag it down. Frankie and the other characters range from passable to rough, and all but two or three characters lack the animal cuteness needed to make them work. The low budget does not do the movie any favors either, with splotchy animation, rough backgrounds, and a couple of creative workarounds for particles and explosions.
Even with all of these failings, A.C.O.R.N.S. does have glimmers of potential. Some of the characters are salvageable, the 2D animation used for the heist schematics is endearing, and its eclectic world could actually be engaging in the right hands. But the movie’s pervasive flaws keep it from making the most of its few strengths, and nearly any viewer will be able to do better looking elsewhere. Steer clear.
For a funnier, more focused take on a very similar premise, try The Nut Job or Over the Hedge. For an elaborate crime comedy with a much more satisfying plot, try Ocean’s Eleven.
[3.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2097333/). I give it a 4.5 for flickers of creativity amid poor execution.