Review | ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ is the movie Warner Bros. didn’t want you to see
Illustration by Zoe Wren Arntsen, Illustrator
It’s been three years since Warner Bros. studio head David Zaslav initially dropped an anvil on “Coyote vs. Acme”’s release plans.
Yet, much like a Looney Tunes character, the film was impossible to kill as it was released in over 3,500 theaters across North America this past week. With gags flying across the screen almost as fast as the Road Runner himself, and a genuine social relevance at its core, “Coyote vs. Acme” makes for one of the year’s most satisfying hits.
When the film was controversially scrapped as a tax write-off, many fans feared the film would never see the light of day. After years of protest, Ketchup Entertainment acquired the film’s distribution rights alongside its sister film, “The Day the Earth Blew Up.” Although three years of build-up adds a lot of pressure for a film with a distinct premise like this, it’s safe to say that “Coyote vs. Acme” surpassed all my expectations.
Based on Ian Frazier’s 1990 New Yorker article, “Coyote vs. Acme” follows Looney Tunes’s Wile E. Coyote as he sues the Acme corporation for damages from faulty products in his many attempts to catch the Road Runner. Hiring deadbeat lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte), the two form an unlikely friendship as they take on the corrupted monopolistic practices of Acme and their formidable legal might, led by Avery’s old classmate, Buddy Crane (John Cena).
While a courtroom satire feels like a somewhat odd choice for Looney Tunes — which has catered towards younger audiences — this isn’t completely out of left field. The original cartoon has long catered towards adult pop-culture references interspersed with its slapstick visual comedy. And, while there were no children in the theater at my screening, the auditorium was nonetheless packed.
As an animation live-action hybrid, the film finds itself tonally adjacent to “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” The visual gags in this feel straight out of one of Chuck Jones’ timeless cartoons with a fair share of dives off cliffs, explosions and elaborate plans gone wrong. “Coyote vs. Acme” has all the makings of a modern classic. Yet, beyond this, there’s something in “Coyote vs. Acme” that speaks to a more specific, contemporary cultural attitude.
When “Coyote vs. Acme” opens on the Warner Bros. logo, it quickly zooms into a title card with an asterisk reading “a wholly owned subsidiary of the Acme Corporation.” While there’s no way director Dave Green or the rest of the creative team could have predicted the legal battles the film would face, the film’s satirical angle plays into growing frustrations with the corporatization of Hollywood.
Especially as Warner Bros. itself is looking to be a part of one of the largest corporate acquisitions in Hollywood’s history, Wile E. Coyote feels like the exact type of underdog protagonist we need today. As Coyote and Avery delve deeper into the conspiracies behind Acme’s corporate power, this film intended to be released three years ago ironically becomes one of the most politically relevant satires of the year. Through its colorful cartoon shenanigans, this isn’t a film that’s afraid to throw punches.
With a protagonist who doesn’t speak apart from the occasional use of signs, the live-action supporting cast plays a large part in keeping the comedy afloat. After years as a character actor in various supporting parts, this feels like the role Will Forte was born to play. The clumsy absurdity in his performance fits right into the wackiness of the Looney Tunes universe. Meanwhile, the ensemble is rounded out with Lana Condor’s optimism, Martha Kelly’s dry wit and John Cena’s maniacal corporate douchery.
While this doesn’t have the high budget set pieces of something like “Space Jam,” the contained nature of this feels crucial to its success. While the film spends apt time introducing fan-favorite Looney Tunes characters and paying homage to classic cartoons, this is very distinctively its own thing. Through every moment, this feels fresh and original in a way most franchise films lately can’t seem to achieve.
It’s definitely not perfect, as the ending overstayed its welcome by a few minutes and I’d be lying if I said every single joke landed. But it’s remarkably easy to look past these flaws through the guise of the film’s unlikely success story.
In spite of any initial fears from its cancellation, this refreshingly original Looney Tunes movie might just be one of the most delightful releases of the year. Don’t walk to the theater to see this one — race at a roadrunner’s speed.
