By Chris Penwell
Live-action/animated hybrids in the movie world have been a mixed bag overall. However, within that bag of broken rocket boots, refrigerators, and whatever Wile. E. Coyote, there’s a fantastic, smart storyline that marks one of the best Looney Tunes movies ever in Coyote vs. ACME.
Is Coyote vs. ACME the best Looney Tunes movie?
Coyote vs. ACME gets the tone of the Looney Tunes so right. There’s plenty of slapstick, which is an absolute delight in this film. But there’s a subtle element of darkness behind it all. Cartoon characters getting hurt for laughter is a little sinister, and this movie runs with that idea as the coyote tries to sue the ACME Corporation.
From Daffy going to a psychiatric ward for being experimented on, to Granny losing a few special people in her life, the movie touches on a few dark themes and mixes them splendidly with humour.
While the pacing is off in some cases, which is why I think Warner Bros dropped the film initially, it delivers a compelling plot in a similar vein to another live action/cartoon hybrid, Who Framed Roger Rabbit!?
And somehow in a film franchise that has had one-dimensional human characters like Michael Jordan and Brendan Fraser’s protagonist, I really cared for the Will Forte’s Kevin Avery. He has a compelling character arc that makes you care for him.
A lawyer who just gets paid and gets the job done begins to actually care about his job. Lana Condor plays his niece, Paige, who is interning for his law firm and is the optimist who wants to push Avery to his limit. Wile. E. Coyote is also a compelling character with his regular antics, messing around with the straight man, Kevin Avery.
John Cena plays a funny villain who is defending ACME and will stop at nothing to keep the companies secrets from getting out. The scene between him and Tweety Bird is particularly hilarious as he says the most ridiculous lines in a heavily serious manner. Overall, I loved the cast, and as always, the voice performances behind the Looney Tunes characters are top-notch.
The concept of Looney Tunes revolving around a courtroom storyline sounds a little dull, but it works surprisingly well. It plays into the ridiculous nature of the lawsuit, but at the same time, dives into the emotional nature and turmoil of the coyote’s desire to kill and eat the Road Runner.
Somehow, they turned the villain of these cartoons into someone you can relate to as he fails over and over and over again.
Turning the Looney Tunes characters into 3D sounds like a horrifying premise. Remember the horrible models from the video games? Well, Coyote vs. ACME translated them well, and they fit into the human world surprisingly greatly. The zany animation translates very well, and it looks superb. There’s a chase scene that looks amazing as there’s a mix of CG and practical effects.
Steven Price’s soundtrack also balances the contradictory zany and serious nature of the film. It has sincere musical notes in pieces like “My Client Is Innocent” but mixes in the underground investigative sections with stealthy strings and punchy percussion in “I Know Too Much” and “What’s Up Doc?”
Overall, Coyote vs. ACME is certainly worth a watch, especially if you’re a fan of the Looney Tunes. Hopefully, more movies like this are on the way. Ketchup Entertainment seems to have a love for this IP, so perhaps they could buy up the rights from Warner Bros. Thanks for reviving this film because it deserves to be seen!
Looking for a cartoon-inspired game? Check out our Montabi review!
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