A very fun, often funny, sometimes surprisingly sweet film, “Coyote vs. Acme” has a lot going for it, but left me with one real question: “who is this movie for?” For about 50 years, Bugs Bunny and the other Looney Tunes were in short films, TV shows, movies, and more. From the 1940s to the 1990s, it was pretty hard for children to avoid these cartoon characters; made even more ubiquitous by reruns and showing these old cartoons on all sorts of channels that kids would stumble upon (if not outright seek). But those days are gone, in so many ways. Channel surfing really doesn’t exist anymore, nor do reruns, and now the youth must actively seek out (or be purposefully shown) certain entertainment if they wish to consume. The last Looney Tunes vehicle, the utterly disastrous (on every level) “Space Jam: A New Legacy” was five years ago, which is not an insignificant amount of time when trying to court new generations. So, while Dave Green’s “Coyote vs. Acme” is a winning film that can be watched by the whole family (and definitely skews its humor towards younger audiences), who is it really for? Who are the people with the real affinity for Looney Tunes?
Having failed to ensnare his prey The Road Runner once again, Wile E. Coyote retreats to his New Mexican cave to plot his next scheme. That’s when he happens upon a commercial for lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte), who offers to represent cartoons that have been injured using a faulty product through no fault of their own. Coyote strikes out to find Kevin and enlist his help to finally get some recompense from Acme, the company that has been providing him with thousands of terrible products for years. Kevin is used to small claims and quick settlements with the mega-corporation, but what Coyote is asking for is a much bigger task. Kevin is unwilling to go up against the conglomerate and its cut-throat lawyer (John Cena), but is prodded into action by his niece, Paige (Lana Condor). Soon they find out a conspiracy afoot amidst all of Acme’s products, one that the company is willing to do whatever it takes to keep secret. Also, there’s lots of things (and characters) exploding and going splat.
“Coyote vs. Acme” is a delightful movie that is patterned after the legal thrillers and courtroom dramas of the ‘90s and ‘00s. That inspired choice—by writer Samy Burch (working from a story by James Gunn, Jeremy Slater, and Samy Burch, from a New Yorker article by Ian Frazier) and director Dave Green—helps ground the shenanigans in a taut conspiracy tale. This construct provides a structure that allows for the increasingly insane sequences he cartoons engage in while keeping a tether on the narrative that remains intact and compelling. It’s a very smart move for a very smart film, much like Forte playing the straight man to all the absurd chaos spiraling about him. DP Brandon Trost and the VFX team do wonderful work blending the animation with the live action, while also keeping so many of the shots perfect for something like a John Grisham adaptation. Everyone involved with the making of “Coyote Vs. Acme” understood the assignment of playing it straight in order to get the most mileage out of its zany cartoon jokes, and it constantly pays off beautifully.
This is akin to how 1988’s “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (which also blended animation and live action) was told as a 1950s detective story—and that probably makes a certain segment of the population feel ancient, for which I am sorry—making it a simple narrative in familiar trappings but allowing for the inspired cartoon elements to play within those borders. All while also saying something about corporate greed, corruption, and—shockingly enough—the inspirational resilience of one ravenous coyote.
It’s hard to talk about “Coyote vs. Acme” without mentioning the 500-pound gorilla in the room—and I don’t mean the law office secretary, who is literally a giant animated gorilla—which is that Warner-Bros shelved this movie in 2023, seeking to never release it but instead use it as a tax write-off. It took a fan campaign to allow it to be auctioned off to another company for purchase and distribution. Coming out two years after (again the truly execrable) “Space Jam: A New Legacy” would have made more sense in terms of corporate synergy with the Looney Tunes brand, but instead the venal corporate overlords saw nothing in this strong film worth showing. Which is to say, they reduced it to dollars and cents and products instead of an actual piece of art and entertainment, which it is. This is pertinent to the film because the whole thing becomes a meta-narrative on taking on the impossible oligarchs who see others’ suffering as a fine price to pay for small ticks in a stock price. The moments that hit best in “Coyote Vs. Acme” actually aren’t its many funny sequences and visual gags, but it’s surprisingly sweet speeches about the need to persist even in the face of overwhelming odds. Did a potential tax write-off get me choked up? Yes, yes, it did, and it earned every emotional beat.
“Coyote vs. Acme” may not really have a core audience to aim at, but it is perfect for all ages to watch. Do you need to be familiar with the many trials and tribulations of Wile E. Coyote before this film? No. Is it a necessity to be able to name all the minor Looney Tunes characters that pop up in cameos through its tight runtime? Not at all. Does fondness for those things help enhance the viewing? Certainly, but Green and company wisely make it so it’s not essential for enjoying “Coyote vs. Acme.” The film is hilarious, clever, rousing, and sweet and deserving of a devoted cult audience. Hopefully it inspires viewers to go seek out those old Looney Tunes cartoons (complete with their many faulty Acme products) and then gain a whole new appreciation for this excellent movie. Things change, but the payoff from supporting strong art remains the same—a good time at the theater that may even inspire a new generation.
4 / 5 Stars
Directed by: Dave Green
Starring: Will Forte, Wile E. Coyote, Lana Condor, John Cena, Foghorn Leghorn, The Road Runner, Tweety Bird, Daffy Duck, Tone Bell, Martha Kelly, Luis Guzmán, P.J. Byrne, Bugs Bunny, John Early
