While you’re at this year’s Tribeca Festival, do yourself a favor and experience the best animated short you’ll ever see. The animation, story, and sheer creative flair that is Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank should be viewed by all.
Directed by Wesley Wang, the story follows two rabbits, Violet and Marlowe, who live together in a quiet community outside of the city. The two rebel against a greedy President Rabbit, who monopolized the world’s carrots, and hatch a plan to rob a bank. It’s only after their Robinhood effort that they find themselves at a crossroads: to be content with their booty or continue to exact revenge for stealing their carrots. The pivotal moment leads to a series of events that changed their lives forever.
First off, this is the best animated short I’ve ever seen… ever. The film exudes creativity from every angle and scores numerous points throughout the three-minute adventure. The age-old tale of good vs. evil is reflected in the good intentions of Violet and Marlowe after their community was pillaged of all carrots and seeds. One person owning the world’s carrot supply examines control and greed on a massive scale. Themes of greed, resistance, love, and selflessness are on full display in this animated short, and it’s all done with the best backdrop to kick off the summer.
The entirety of the film is set to the track, “Feel It All Again”, by Warner Records’ newest signee, Adore. The band, based in New York City, has credits ranging from Young Thug to Chappell Roan. The upbeat tempo matched the speed of events taking place, paired with lyrics that spoke to the plight of Violet and Marlowe. “What happened to the days we used to dance?” and “Playing records so loud that our love had a sound” are lyrics that push the memories of yesteryear. It prompts one to wonder what their life was like before their carrots were looted. On the other hand, the track is a fun, upbeat, high-tempo dance anthem that, when paired with the action onscreen, sets the stage for full-fledged chaotic harmony.
The animation style is fresh and unique. Without a drop of AI, the colors and textures captivate while dually capturing your attention span. While vibing out to the infectious dance track “Feel It All Again”, you’re treated to a handful of fist-to-face, gunslinging transitions that ooze attention to detail and intentionality. How else would a rabbit be able to bash a security guard in the head so hard with a keyboard that the keys would fly off to spell “F*** you”? The subtleties were a nice touch as well, one such being separating the use of colors to denote good and evil. The husband-wife duo and their community of rabbits were animated in color, while the greedy President, the city, and the security guards were in black and white. The Matrix-style animation for several hand-to-hand combat transitions demands praise and recognition. The same boldness behind the direct message that led to collaborating with Adore is seen throughout this monumental short.
Love, sacrifice, and glorious rebellion run rampant in the most exciting three-minute theatrical experience you’ll ever have. I never thought I needed to see ass-kicking rabbits in my lifetime, but I’ve been proved wrong. What kind of rabbits are we dealing with that they’re aware of greed, community, and the usefulness of automatic weapons? If this doesn’t turn into an animated series, we’re all to blame.
Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank gets a 10 out of 10. The argument over cinematic runtime has no place here as the film gets several points across in under three minutes. The emotional rollercoaster of action, excitement, and loss has never been told so epicly until today.
SCHEDULE:
Saturday, June 13 – 6:15 PM | AMC 19th St. East
Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank made its world premiere at the 2026 Tribeca Festival on June 6.
-Jon Jones
Category: Short Animation
Country: USA
Director: Wesley Wang
Cast: N/A
Runtime: 2 mins
Trailer: N/A
Language: English subtitles
U.S. Release Date: June 6, 2026