Warner Bros. shelved the completed Coyote vs. Acme, determining they could make more money writing it off for tax credit than releasing it into the wild. Four years later, after “public outcry” (which means disgust by the 1% of movie lovers on social media who were actually paying attention), the Looney Tunes movie is here, and it’s very good. I also understand why WB wanted to cut their losses.
Ethically, dropping a completed movie into a black hole the way ACME Company does to an inconvenient scientist in the film’s opening scene is questionable at best. It, coupled with the killing of the Batgirl film midstream, also sends a dangerous message to the filmmakers it employs, or wants to employ. Financially, you can understand why WB got nervous–then again, they should never have spent a whopping $80 million to make this movie (nor should have new distributor Ketchup Entertainment bought it for $50 million).
My seven-year-old daughter is aware of the main “Looney Tunes” characters–Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, etc.–but honestly she could care less about these characters. Kid’s entertainment has moved on, dominated by this generation’s overwhelming supply of options. Coyote vs. Acme is the latest example of Hollywood attempting to cling to IP that only adults really care about.
That said: my daughter thoroughly enjoyed Coyote vs. Acme, and for good reason. This movie is fun from start to finish, taking a Who Framed Roger Rabbit? approach by blending human actors with zany cartoons. The movie revolves around Wile E. Coyote realizing that after decades of futile attempts to capture the Road Runner, the ACME Corporation’s defective products may be to blame. So his human lawyer (Will Forte) sues the global monopoly for a lot of money, pitting them in a race against the firm’s chief legal officer (John Cena) to uncover a potential conspiracy.
It’s a silly concept, one that plays on nostalgia while presenting a bunch of ridiculous antics that any Looney Tunes fan will recognize. Forte makes for a formidable protagonist, while director Dave Green draws in a ton of recognizable characters to help (or hinder) him along the way. Cena is good, too, though the movie, by making him play it straight, fails to tap into his more outlandish comedic talents.
Coyote vs. Acme is fast paced, funny, and well made, even if ending a kid’s movie in a courtroom may strain some attention spans. My kid had a good time, though I get the sense that this didn’t capture her imagination the way Hoppers or even GOAT did. As for me, I grew up with Looney Tunes and was able to appreciate this movie for what it is. I don’t find all of their antics as funny as I did when I was a kid, of course, but it was nice to revisit my childhood.
Warner Bros. wasn’t right to shelve such a good film, even if it was a prudent financial decision. Thankfully, the film’s history is now in its past and families can experience what is a very good movie that both children and parents can enjoy.
Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.