Coyote vs. ACME
- Ben Pivoz
- 1 minute ago
- 3 min read
Wile E. Coyote first attempted to catch the elusive Road Runner in Fast and Furry-ous, 77 years ago. He has been endearingly trying, and painfully failing, ever since. Though he has appeared in many short films on the big screen, he finally gets his feature starring debut in Coyote vs. ACME, wherein he seeks to hold the ACME Corporation legally accountable for the horribly malfunctioning gadgets that have repeatedly impeded his quest to catch his prey. There was a lot of drama behind this movie making it to theaters more than three years after it was completed, which I will briefly touch on later.
As a lifelong fan of Looney Tunes, I am glad it has a chance to be seen. It is a satisfying modernization. Its blending of live-action and animation is far from groundbreaking, yet it works for the material. It is funny, uses the classic characters well and contains lots of silly in-jokes for fans. This universe wasn’t really made for 95-minute plots (not including the end credits), so it does drag a bit before the climax. Still, it is a fresh take on old favorites and a reasonably fun watch.
After failing once again to catch the Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote sees an ad on TV for an injury lawyer who sues ACME on behalf of cartoon characters for quick, easy, cash. Having no interest in a cheap settlement, the self-proclaimed genius tricks the lawyer into filing a massive lawsuit, starting a chain reaction that could change the world, or at least get him his dinner.
Since the titular star of Coyote vs. ACME does not talk, that makes the live-action actors the stars. Oddly, that works because it allows the other Looney Tunes to pop in occasionally for funny supporting bits. It is like the story was created and then the filmmakers figured out how best to use Bugs, Daffy, Porky and the gang to make it funnier. They are all here, some of them utilized in unexpected ways, but always respectful of the personas that have been cultivated over the last century.
The human cast, led by Will Forte as Wile’s lawyer and John Cena as ACME’s lawyer, get into the spirit without trying to overshadow the wackiness around them. Forte is essentially the main character, since he has the most dialogue and the biggest growth. He has no problem fitting into this world, sort of playing the straight man, while also getting some laughs on his own. This never goes full goofiness, holding back the chaos a bit more than I would have preferred.
However, in November of 2023, it seemed impossible that anyone outside of the Warner Bros. Discovery lot would ever get to see Coyote vs. ACME. Both the alleged $90 million budgeted Batgirl and the animated sequel Scoob! Holiday Haunt were filmed and then shelved during post-production in favor of a tax write-off. They will likely remain buried forever. The same was supposed to happen here. Amazingly, the backlash against the move was so strong, with many creatives saying they would never work with WB again due to such decisions, that the studio relented and decided they would allow the filmmakers to shop the finished movie to other distributors. Its fate was in limbo, with deletion a legitimate possibly, until March of 2025, when it was finally sold to Ketchup Entertainment. They eventually put it on the schedule for 8/28/2026.
The off-screen drama tends to be more interesting than what was put on screen, yet the finished product here is pretty good. Though it isn’t the masterpiece those who saw it when it seemed like it would never see the light of day touted it as, it is an amusing subversion of an enduring concept that stays faithful to it. It is a family comedy that will probably play better for the adults who grew up with the cartoons and, maybe, know this movie’s circuitous journey to multiplexes. It is a bizarre triumph of art over commerce, even if it is in the name of commerce. Regardless, despite the fact that the behind-the-scenes story is bigger than what is on screen, I hope that doesn’t cause people to focus on that over an enjoyable new Looney Tunes cartoon.
3¼ out of 5
Cast:
Will Forte as Kevin Avery
Lana Condor as Paige Avery
John Cena as Buddy Crane
P.J. Byrne as Bill Pelicanos
Directed by Dave Green
Screenplay by Samy Burch
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