Well, it’s finally here. The movie they tried to bury at long last has its day in court. And the verdict is… it’s pretty damned funny.
Coyote vs. ACME famously was about to be given the Batgirl treatment by Warner Bros. and shelved so those Hollywood studio fat cats could give themselves a nice little tax write-off. Fortunately for Looney Tunes fans everywhere, terrific word of mouth was able to save it from being locked away in a studio vault (or worse). Ketchup Entertainment (who also released the fun Looney Tunes flick, The Day the Earth Blew Up) came to the rescue and gave the film a proper theatrical release.
The story has an irresistible hook. After decades of being blown up, incinerated, and flattened by faulty ACME products, Wile E. Coyote decides to sue the company. He hires an ambulance chasing shyster (Will Forte) to take his case, and they eventually discover something more sinister is afoot.
The obvious comparison is Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but this is very much its own thing. It’s a sweet-natured (but totally Looney Tunes to the core) underdog story about a David and Goliath legal battle… but… you know… with rocket boots. Even though it’s essentially a big Road Runner cartoon, it actually manages to have some unexpected heart in there too.
Of course, since it’s Looney Tunes, it’s also very funny. The most pleasantly surprising thing is that the filmmakers don’t try to update the characters. They remain true to their origins and because of that, score some big laughs. There are also a number of great cameos by some of your favorite Looney Tunes characters too, so keep your eyes peeled.
In short, it’s hard to understand why a studio would try to bury this movie. I could see if it was an insufferable piece of dog shit, but this is a genuinely entertaining film that honors the legacy of its universally beloved characters. Perhaps the film’s anti-corporation sentiment hit a little close to home for the studio. Still, the fact that this got released is proof that sometimes, even in a real-life David and Goliath situation, the good guys can win.
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