When was the last time you laughed, really laughed, while watching a new movie that’s just been released from a studio and is playing in a theater? Chances are it’s been a while. As an added bonus, except for the little ones at home, the film also turns out to be fun for the whole family.
If you’ve been eagerly waiting for a comic gem, I’m writing to tell you that the wait is over. Directors of horror and science fiction movies have been the Hollywood hitmakers for quite a while, but flat-out hit comedies have been few and far between. The YouTube generation has been doing well for themselves when it comes to fright features. These young men and women have been shepherded by production companies that know how to wring millions of dollars out of low-budget features. There doesn’t seem to be many industry backers for movies that make people laugh.
However, when somebody did make a comedy steeped in classic cartoon history, a real-life grinch in the form of a studio chief threw in a monkey wrench.
The film in question is titled “Coyote vs. Acme.” It’s a combined live-action and animated motion picture built upon the legacy of the Looney Tunes cartoons. That it got made is actually something of a miracle. “Coyote vs. Acme” was shot in 2022 and reportedly completed by 2023. Yes, look at your calendar. That’s a long time for a motion picture to sit around unseen by an audience. In November of that year, the production studio, Warner Brothers Discovery, chose not to release it. I won’t name the fellow who decided to dump it, but he’s the same naysayer who also dumped “Batgirl” in 2022, which has prevented anyone from ever seeing that in a theater, or even through streaming.
Regarding “Coyote vs. Acme,” the executive in question preferred that the studio take a tax write-off of approximately $30 million. Imagine if you could take a tax write-off on things you didn’t like in your life. Then something unusual happened. Movie lovers, filmmakers, devoted tech people, animation devotees, on-screen personalities, critics, and historians fought back. Why?
To me, the reason is simple. There are movie fans who remember seeing the popular and wonderfully well-made Warner Brothers cartoons in the 1950s and after. Additionally, in the 1970s, an entire new generation rediscovered them, and the enjoyment hasn’t let up, not through the VHS era, then into the DVD/Blu-ray era, and now through streaming. A handful of Looney Tunes-associated features and shorts were made in the 2000s. Folks genuinely love those Looney Tunes.
The backlash caused consternation at Warner Bros. The studio decided to allow the producers of “Coyote vs. Acme” to sell the movie to other distributors. Netflix, as well as other companies, reportedly showed interest, but Warner’s wanted too much money, supposedly around $80 million. The film’s budget was reported as being $70 million.
In March of this year, there was finally light at the end of the tunnel. The journey in limbo was over. Ketchup Entertainment of North Hollywood, California, acquired worldwide rights for around $50 million. It decided to go for a theatrical release. This has turned out to be a smart move. Audiences are loving the movie.
“Coyote vs. Acme” is directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch. Green is noted for directing the 2016 mega-hit “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows,’ some of which was filmed on Buffalo’s Kensington Expressway from May 4 to May 17 in 2015. Burch has an Academy Award nomination for her original screenplay for “May December” from 2023.
“Coyote vs. Acme” expertly mixes animation and live action. The clever feature stars Will Forte, who is comically flawless as an Albuquerque, New Mexico lawyer named Kevin Avery. He’s a bit of a sad sack. His career consists of handling oddball personal injury cases. The money isn’t rolling in because the fruits of his law degree have never really blossomed. He works for the law firm of Avery, Jones, and Maltese, the name of which is a tribute to celebrated Warner Bros. motion picture animators Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, and Michael Maltese.
Here’s where the comedy takes off. In an imaginative use of animated figures living in the real world, the character of Wile E. Coyote wants to sue the Acme Corporation because nothing he has ever bought from Acme in order to capture the Road Runner has ever worked the way he believes it should. Wile thinks that Acme is selling him faulty products. The solution is the American Way. Sue Acme in court. This is a truly delightful premise.
Not being much of an attorney himself, Avery needs assistance with the Coyote case. The movie has an underlying inspirational layer about learning how to develop pride in one’s life. Who helps Avery? His go-getter niece does. She’s nicely acted by Lana Condor. The villain of this very tall tale is Buddy Crane, who is played by a wickedly funny John Cena. He’s Acme’s shark of a lawyer. Luis Guzman is delightful as the judge.
Numerous Warner Bros. cartoon characters show up in bit parts and cameos. The visitors include Dr. Peter Lorre, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Pepe Le Pew, Porky Pig, Tweety, and Foghorn Leghorn. The extraordinary animation voice work throughout is mostly performed by Eric Bauza. Dedicated fans of WB cartoons will readily appreciate the Lorre connection. “Coyote vs. Acme” packs a lot of fun in its 103 minutes. If a joke doesn’t work, don’t fret, another one won’t be far behind. Forte is the perfect actor for this style of movie. Acme represents corporate America, and the filmmakers have a field day with that concept. If you’ve been looking for, or need, some laughs that are deliciously silly, “Coyote vs. Acme” is the movie to see.