With the Looney Tunes being such iconic parts of pop culture, it was genuinely shocking that the folks at Warner Bros. Discovery originally decided to shelve Coyote vs. Acme as a tax write-off. Thankfully, Ketchup Entertainment once again saved the day by getting the distribution rights away from the evil overlords at WB and putting the film where it belongs: in theaters. Is this new big screen Looney Tunes flick everything that fans who fought for it had hoped for? Let’s take a look.

The Good

First off, the movie is absolutely hilarious. The Looney Tunes slapstick is so funny and done so well that the original creators would be proud. There’s a lot of it, too. Outside of that, there are also plenty of visual gags and instances of witty dialogue that will have the audience laughing their heads off throughout. It’s easily one of the funniest flicks to hit theaters in a while.

The animation is extremely impressive. The 3D cell-shaded animation looks like it’s hand-drawn, and it blends very well into the live action environment. While I prefer the Looney Tunes in classic 2D animation like the old cartoons, it’s still welcome that they all look this good.

The live action performances from Will Forte, John Cena, Lana Condor, and the rest of the cast are all brilliant and help the animated characters feel positively life-like. They each handle the “looniness” of interacting with the likes of Wile E. Coyote and Bugs Bunny as well as keep everything grounded during the more emotional or dramatic moments. There’s something about a serious-yet-comical conversation between John Cena and Tweety that is pure cinema magic.

This Looney Tunes movie is surprisingly heartfelt. It’s a fantastic underdog story that encourages the audience to keep trying, no matter how impossible something might seem. This message adds a lot of heart, as well as the touching moments between Will Forte’s character of Kevin Avery and Wile E. Coyote, and even between the Coyote and Road Runner. The character bonds make for some truly touching moments. The same can be said for the character growth, whether it be individual growth or characters growing together.

This is a film about a court case, and the mystery of it all and what’s going on behind the scenes is genuinely fascinating. It leads to a lot of suspense and entertaining “a-ha!” moments. The court case of Coyote vs. Acme also serves as brilliant commentary about the dangers of big corporations and how it’s worth sticking up to them. It’s eerily reminiscent of certain real life events, and is handled cleverly.

The Bad

With this being a Looney Tunes movie, there are obviously a lot of colorful cartoon characters. Unfortunately, though, there are many who don’t get nearly enough screen time or lines. This even includes characters who are built up to be someone who plays an important role in the story, like Taz. Taz is supposed to serve as a turning point in the case, but gets maybe 20 seconds of screen time. This is the same with many of the Looney Tunes, who feel more like cameos than characters. Similarly, it also feels like there needs to be more “toons” in general in this world. They’re introduced to be a part of the world like humans are, but we only see them in the background early on and at the end. It’s like only the main characters exist for most of the movie, and it feels weird. The side toons feel absent throughout much of the film despite them needing to be important.

This is a very minor issue, but there’s a pivotal point when the Road Runner is talking (or beeping) in the court room, and his beeps weirdly sound much deeper than his usual beeps. It’s meant to be an especially emotional scene, but the sudden change is enough to take the audience out of it.

Conclusion

Coyote vs. Acme feels like Who Framed Roger Rabbit? mixed with My Cousin Vinny. It’s also a creative and brilliant use of iconic characters that pays homage to the classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Whether or not you’re familiar with these characters, you’ll surely get something out of this hilarious, heartfelt, and smart movie.

Rating: 9.5/10

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