Coyote vs. Acme drops an anvil on the competition, easily becoming one of the best live-action/animation hybrids in years. As someone who grew up on Looney Tunes and Space Jam, I have been waiting for another theatrical movie that utilizes these crazy cartoons to their fullest potential. Two years ago, The Day the Earth Blew Up delivered a shockingly perfect cocktail of silly hijinks and laugh-out-loud humor, distributed by Ketchup Entertainment. Now, the distributor has rescued Coyote vs. Acme after Warner Bros. infamously shelved the completed film. Three years removed from the insane attempt to turn it into a tax write-off, we finally get to experience this special movie in all its glory, and even Acme would be thrilled by the end result.
Wile E. Coyote has been trying to murder the Road Runner for time immemorial. Yet, after years of explosions, catastrophic falls, malfunctioning rockets, and anvils inevitably landing on his own head, maybe the Coyote isn’t actually the problem. What if the real culprit is the company manufacturing all the faulty products? After Wile E. catches an advertisement for struggling attorney Kevin Avery (Will Forte), he realizes he may actually have grounds to sue Acme for decades of trauma. The premise brilliantly takes established Looney Tunes mythology and asks the hilariously obvious question of why Acme has never been held accountable.
The movie has so much fun exploring Wile E.‘s actual day-to-day existence. Years of chasing the Road Runner have left him battered, paranoid, and practically falling apart, but he’s still completely determined to capture that damn bird. His teeth are literally falling out, and yet the chase continues. Giving this iconic character genuine trauma acts as a strangely affecting humanization of a cartoon character. At the center of Coyote vs. Acme is the surprisingly sweet connection between Wile E. and Avery. The Coyote remains the lovable strong, silent type, communicating primarily through his trusty signs. There’s even a hilarious acknowledgement that he only has a limited number of them available. Without sacrificing his identity to make him fit a conventional narrative, Coyote vs. Acme finds ways to make Wile E. expressive and sympathetic. The villains are also a total hoot. Foghorn Leghorn has been fully reimagined as the vile CEO of Acme, while John Cena plays his equally slimy lawyer. Both are perfectly suited to this heightened world, and completely reprehensible in their behavior. Tweety Bird gets dragged into the villainous side of things too, albeit not exactly by choice.
Coyote vs. Acme effortlessly the movie understands the Looney Tunes brand. Every cameo feels purposeful rather than just included to check off a box. The movie isn’t embarrassed by its cartoon roots or desperate to modernize them beyond recognition. Instead, it embraces their history with gleeful affection. The filmmakers clearly adore these characters, and that affection reflects in the faithful translation of their personalities and animated mannerisms to the real world. A genuine charm to the humor and the sheer cartoonishness unfolding around the humans takes it to a level rarely glimpsed in the live action hybrid space. It totally puts the recent Space Jam sequel to shame. Writer Samy Burch (May December) finds ways to make the story meta without constantly winking at the audience.
The wonderfully realized universe could easily continue across several more movies. There are so many possibilities available that Coyote vs. Acme feels like a perfect launching point. Warner Bros.’ decision to shelve Coyote vs. Acme was downright infuriating, and seeing the creative juices flowing through the finished product only makes that original call even more baffling. Will the other completed Warner Bros. projects remain locked away? If Coyote vs. Acme can escape the vault, maybe there’s still hope that Scoob: Holiday Haunt or Batgirl will eventually see the light of day. For now, though, we must celebrate that this one survived.
Coyote vs. Acme overflows with the joyful chaos that made me fall in love with Looney Tunes in the first place. By committing to the lunacy of Looney Tunes, director Dave Green has hand-crafted a modern classic. Against all odds, the hybridized glee of the chaotic endless pursuit of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner was well worth the wait. Coyote may never catch Road Runner, but Coyote vs. Acme absolutely sticks the landing.
Coyote vs. Acme has broken out of the Warner Bros. vault, and unpacks its stack of mounting evidence in theaters everywhere now.
