It is almost a miracle that we got to see Coyote vs. Acme at all. The film had already been fully completed when Warner Bros. decided to shelve it in 2023 as part of a tax write-off. After a great deal of criticism and a long period of uncertainty, the movie eventually got a second chance and was released by Ketchup Entertainment.
And honestly, it is a very good thing that it was. Coyote vs. Acme may not be the best movie ever made featuring the Looney Tunes, but it is a hugely entertaining and, above all, surprisingly successful combination of live action and animation.
A Movie That Should Never Have Been Lost
The story naturally revolves around Wile E. Coyote, who, after years of being frustrated by ACME products, decides that enough is enough and takes the company to court. He receives help from lawyer Kevin Avery, played by Will Forte. On the other side is Buddy Crane, an attorney representing ACME, played by John Cena.
The premise is as simple as it is brilliant. Because when you really think about it, it is pretty strange that Wile E. Coyote has been buying products from ACME for decades, only for those products to almost always cause him pain and misery.
The film is based on a satirical story by Ian Frazier that was published in The New Yorker in 1990. The movie itself was developed much later and subsequently ended up having a rather bizarre history of its own. The fact that it was eventually released feels almost appropriate. After all, Wile E. Coyote has always been the character who keeps going, no matter how many times he crashes into a wall, a cliff or some other form of disaster.
That makes it all the more important that this movie eventually found its way to an audience. Simply allowing a completed film like this to disappear would have been an enormous waste. Coyote vs. Acme deserves to be seen, and it is great that audiences can finally decide for themselves whether the movie was worth saving.
Classic Looney Tunes Humor Meets Modern Comedy
Fortunately, Coyote vs. Acme is not interesting solely because of its unusual history. Above all, it is simply a lot of fun to watch.
The classic Looney Tunes humor is everywhere, and the filmmakers clearly understand what makes these characters so entertaining. The movie is packed with slapstick, absurd situations, physical comedy and, of course, plenty of accidents in which Wile E. Coyote once again tries to avoid disaster in increasingly creative ways.
At the same time, the humor never feels like we are simply watching an extended Looney Tunes episode. The modern live-action comedy is naturally mixed into the story. This creates a very enjoyable combination of old-school cartoon humor and comedy that also works for a contemporary audience.
That may be one of the biggest compliments you can give the movie. It feels like a modern film while still genuinely feeling like a Looney Tunes movie.
Live Action and Animation Come Together Surprisingly Well
It has been quite some time since we have seen a movie that combines live action and animation in this particular way. Films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Looney Tunes: Back in Action have shown just how much fun this combination can be, but it is a concept that is surprisingly rare these days.
Coyote vs. Acme once again demonstrates why it is a shame that we do not see more movies like this.
The human characters and cartoon characters never feel as if they belong to two completely different movies. They genuinely exist within the same world, and the film handles that surprisingly well. The reactions of the human characters to all the absurd events certainly help, but the animation also fits nicely into the live-action environments.
It is simply fun to see a character like Wile E. Coyote running around in a real-world environment while all kinds of classic cartoon logic are being thrown at him.
Plenty of Familiar Looney Tunes Faces
Fans of the classic cartoons have plenty to enjoy. Alongside Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, several other familiar Looney Tunes characters make appearances.
Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety and Foghorn Leghorn are among the recognizable faces that pop up, while there are plenty of other fun references and cameos to discover.
The great thing about this is that the movie never becomes completely dependent on those cameos. They do not simply feel like cheap fan service. Some characters actually have something to contribute to the story, while others are mainly there to provide a fun surprise.
For longtime Looney Tunes fans, this is obviously an added bonus. At the same time, you certainly do not need to be an expert on the franchise to enjoy the movie.
A Strong Cast with John Cena as the Comedic Surprise
The human cast is also a lot of fun. Will Forte fits perfectly as the somewhat clumsy and unambitious lawyer who gradually gets pulled deeper into this bizarre case. Lana Condor also makes for a good addition to the cast.
But the biggest surprise is undoubtedly John Cena.
Cena has already demonstrated that he has a real talent for comedy, but here he seems to be having an absolute blast with the role. His Buddy Crane is exaggerated, confident and just serious enough to make the absurdity of the situation even funnier.
He clearly understands that he is in a Looney Tunes movie and fully embraces that fact. His physical presence and over-the-top performance work much better than you might expect.
A Simple but Surprisingly Effective Story
The idea of a lawsuit against ACME sounds primarily like a great joke. Fortunately, the movie manages to turn it into something more than that.
The story actually works surprisingly well. There is a clear conflict, the stakes gradually become higher and the different characters all have enough reason to become involved in the case.
Not everything is developed equally well, and certain elements could perhaps have been tightened up. Nevertheless, there is enough substance here to ensure that the movie is more than just a collection of individual jokes.
And that is important. As enjoyable as the slapstick may be, a movie running for more than an hour and a half cannot rely on that alone.
More Than Just Nostalgia
Another thing that works particularly well about Coyote vs. Acme is that the film is not solely interested in making older viewers nostalgic.
Of course, the movie is filled with recognizable characters, references and classic humor. But even if you did not grow up with Looney Tunes or do not understand every reference, there is still plenty to enjoy.
The film never takes itself too seriously and therefore manages to establish its own atmosphere quite easily. It is accessible enough for anyone simply looking for an entertaining comedy, while longtime fans can discover plenty of additional details along the way.
That is really how a good modern franchise movie should work.
There Is a Genuine Message Beneath the Chaos
As with many classic cartoons, there is ultimately a more serious message underneath all the chaos and slapstick.
Wile E. Coyote is essentially the ultimate underdog in this movie. He keeps losing, constantly faces new problems and eventually has to take on a huge and powerful corporation. Yet he refuses to give up.
The movie is therefore partly about perseverance, even when the odds seem to be completely against you. It is also about standing up for yourself and what happens when a system appears to be designed primarily to benefit those who already hold the power.
It may not be the deepest message you will ever find in a movie, but it fits Wile E. Coyote surprisingly well. The character who normally climbs out of a crater after yet another failed attempt finally gets a reason to fight back.
And there is something almost amusingly fitting about the fact that the movie itself went through a similar experience. Coyote vs. Acme was shelved, written off and repeatedly appeared to be heading toward permanent oblivion, only to eventually get back on its feet.
A Surprisingly Fun Return for the Looney Tunes
Coyote vs. Acme may not be the most perfect movie you will see this year, but it does not need to be.
It is above all a film that radiates fun. The combination of classic Looney Tunes humor, modern comedy, live action, animation and slapstick works surprisingly well. The cast is clearly having fun, John Cena turns out to be a terrific comedic surprise, and the story ultimately offers more than you might expect from the premise.
Fans of the classic Looney Tunes have plenty of familiar material to enjoy. At the same time, the film is accessible enough for anyone simply looking for a fun comedy.
Perhaps the biggest compliment you can give Coyote vs. Acme is that it never feels like a movie that exists solely because Hollywood wanted to do something with a recognizable franchise one more time. It genuinely feels as though the filmmakers had fun with these characters and their world.
And that enjoyment ultimately comes across on screen.
Rating: 7/10
