Movie Review: Coyote vs ACME

 

Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to my Movie Review.

Last year, I’ve covered the very first fully animated Looney Tunes movie called “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie”, which despite the plot is an obvious parody to the classic sci-fi movies, but it gave us some good amount of laugh to bring us back to our childhood. While its not really a hit at the box-office, but its a fun film if you wanna looking back at it. But of course, Warner Bros aren’t done when they give us this film for another chance.

“Coyote vs ACME” is a 2026 live-action animated comedy film that was directed by Dave Green, produced/written by James Gunn (Yup, even the co-boss of DC Studios is also involved with Looney Tunes, as long as he needs to get a grip for DC contents), co-produced by Chris DeFaria and co-written by Jeremy Slater and Samy Burch.

The idea of this movie went back in 2018 when they announced this movie, along with Chris McKay (the director of The Lego Batman Movie) as a producer and the Silberman Brothers (Jon and Josh) as the writers, while Dave Green is going to be the director, but that all change when they’re all replaced by Chris DeFaria as a producer and Samy Burch, Jeremy Slater, and James Gunn (the latter as both writer and producer). Speaking of the latter, James Gunn was actually wanted to make a Looney Tunes movie with his buddy, Jeremy Slater 3 years before the announcement, because they both love Looney Tune. But the major problem is, what’s their idea was supposed to be? Back then, it was supposed to be a movie featuring Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, while dealing with Tazmanian Devil, but that idea is ultimately changed into Coyote and Road Runner film after all the changes and new writers for their pitching, which they said that they’re taking inspiration from the New Yorker article with the same name by Ian Frazier.

But then came November 9th 2023, when we’ve witnessed the WORST merger since AOL TimeWarner, when Warner Bros was bought and merged by Discovery into what we have today. When the new boss, David Zaslav took over, he took his shake-up in the most CONTROVERSIAL move ever, all because of the tax loss about $30M, he sacked out several employees, cancel the shows without warning (especially some are either renewed for another season or some ended via cliffhanger), and even cancel films like Batgirl (which was nearly finished) and even Coyote vs ACME, the latter of which is completed before our public enemy stepped in to cancel it. That announcement was a TOTAL DISASTER that it received MILLIONS of backlash, not just for the movie goers and fans, but so does the people who worked on this completed project, resulting hundreds of phone calls of frustrations and online protest with “ReleaseCoyoteVsAcme” and “SaveCoyoteVsAcme”, even I’ve spoken my frustration over Zaslav’s poor business practice and announcements that we’ll never see the light on both some of the shows or even the movies. But it wouldn’t be until after the cancellation, WB decided to putting Coyote vs ACME into auction for which companies will distribute this movie, until on March of 2025 (nearly a week after the wide release of The Day the Earth Blew Up) after numerous major distributors won’t be able to acquire or bowed out, one small distributor called “Ketchup Entertainment” stepped in to talk to WB to acquiring this movie for $50M and the deal were settled, thus the movie made a comeback to release at the near end of August of this year. When we heard about this, it was a BIG happy ending after years of protest, like I was very happy for this report to give it another chance, just like what happened Nimona (you know when it was first developed under Blue Sky Studio, but it was shutdown by Disney, until Annapurna Pictures and Netflix brought it back for another chance).

So, with all that said, will Coyote will win the lawsuit after all the embarrassment from corporation, or is it just another one of those hopeless project after years of making?

Well, lets find out.

The Story

For a movie about the court case against ACME, you think that this film would give us fun and entertaining in Looney Tunes fashion? Well yeah, but even bigger and better than just made for funny.

The movie gives us a small prologue, where (like Space Jam and Back in Action) the world coexist between humans and cartoon characters (specifically Looney Tunes), however, back in 1992, fictional Peter Lorre (But as Dr. Lorre) tries to make a leakage message about ACME, only to be kidnapped into portable hole. Fast forward fro 30 years later, where our familiar “genius” predator Wile E. Coyote is always trying to hunting down Road Runner, alas, he tried, and tried, and tried, but still failed to catch a speeding bird for his own lunch. That is until he sees the TV with an advertisement about a law firm company from Albuquerque simply called “Avery, Jones & Maltese”, after going all the way in Albuquerque, he eventually meet a senior lawyer named Kevin Avery in order to suing ACME for many of defective devices from ACME Corporation, run by Foghorn Leghorn with his finest lawyer, Buddy Crane, but they’re much more living in positive note for selling their successful products and protective about their business. So its up to Coyote and law firm group to find any evidence and find out the dark secrets about ACME Corporation.

Its a pretty fascinating story and very good writing for the depth and probably a thought provoking plot where after Coyote being sick and tired of being humiliated and never give up, along with adding a similar fashion of David and Goliath for court case against ACME with small law firm group. Its pretty good for how its well-written for not just about the setting of the story, but the longer you watch, the more better it gets for not just comedy, but also changing the tone with slightly serious when we dig deep in ACME’s rabbit hole (no pun intended) and even giving a heartfelt moment for struggle for being a shell of a life and even understand the motivation of “Always get back up”, its very good what they pulled that they don’t put too much of a comedy to have a nice inclusion tones in this movie. But don’t get me wrong, if this is the movie about Looney Tunes, they have to give us some good jokes, but surprisingly, they’re pretty good for laugh and entertaining, it sticks faithful from the classic Coyote vs Road Runner tunes that we all know and the signature chaos both figuratively and literally, especially for their timing they’ve put, but again, the execution are very good to make it funny and enjoyable.

While it stays true for comedy and similar coexist world with humans and toons (Roger Rabbit style), but its very good, fun, and well-written for the depth about Coyote, ACME and the message of this movie, especially with some tones that its nice give instead of plain comedy, just saying, but still, its very good.

The Presentation

The movie’s budget costed between $70-72M, even though it may look like a low budget film, but it looks pretty nice, for the most part.

For starter, instead of filming some big city, it was filmed in, literally, Albuquerque, New Mexico. At first, I thought it was filmed somewhere of small town out of nowhere while pretending to be Albuquerque, but im surprised that they actually filmed there. I guess its no wonder why Bugs Bunny been constantly mentioning Albuquerque in his journey, eh? All kidding aside, the filming is actually pretty good certain filming for interact with actors and cartoon characters, which is exactly that they’re reference the same filming and production technique from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but more modern tech, which I think they did a nice work to replicate, even if some acting interaction and such can be a bit flawed.

As for the animation of the characters, I find the animation of the characters are learning towards the good’ol days of Looney Tunes done by Chuck Jones, Robert McKimson and Friz Freleng (which I ALWAYS enjoy their art and animation styles) unlike The Day The Earth Blew Up which the animation design is based on Bob Clampett (While I enjoy Clampett’s art, but I stick to both Jones, McKimson and Freleng). The animation for the characters are pretty good that they’re followed up from the classic Tunes that we all know, but with upgrade, especially we like to see some action and chaos, whether be the classic involvement with Coyote and Road Runner or even some comedic action scenes from the chase and avoiding obstacles, its pretty good and fun to make it intense, but with laughter at the times for chaotic fashion from cartoonish traps and lots of explosions. Even if there are some parts can be challenging, such as one sequence is where Coyote tries to bring the entire weapons and gadgets through a metal detector, which according to Dave Green, he had to took a few dozens of background actors to locate the eyeline of an invisible character, talk about a tough task to do the animation with dozens of background actors.

While I enjoy the presentation for their filming, some animation designs and sequences of actions and comedy, but if I have a problem for this movie, has to be the quality of the characters’ animation. Unlike both Space Jam and Back in Action, many characters are in 3D animation with cel-shaded quality. I get they wanted to replicate the characters in 2D style in 3D animation, but its just that their quality just doesn’t look right by look at it, otherwise, I’ve seen better cel-shaded quality from PS2. Im just saying, but that’s only my nitpick. However, the only exception for 3D animation, is in fact, Bugs Bunny, who’s probably the ONLY character done in 2D (at least what I think, as im writing this), mainly its due to last minute inclusion, but I WON’T let you know about everyone’s favorite bunny for SPOILER reasons.

Despite one flaw I have, but at least il give an appreciation for their work of animation, the production for live action, a very good filming and animation sequences of comedy and chaos.

The Characters

While we have live-action actors, you think if the Looney Tunes’ characters are going to be the focus instead of humans? Well, surprisingly yes.

Lets start with our titular character, Wile E. Coyote himself. He follows the same tradition that we all know in Looney Tunes, a mute coyote who’s a self-proclaimed “Genius” who’s trying to hunting down Road Runners for either himself or even with a butt load of ACME knick-knacks, only ended up in hilarious results of experiments gone wrong from explosions, breaking down and more fails (Such a classic that its funny back then). So in this movie, he’s pretty much the same, this time, he’s starting to having a depth of trying to go after ACME after all the fails he had, meaning he's gotta "talk" to a senior lawyer in order to suing ACME with all the weapons and gadgets failed hilariously and miserably. While his personality remains the same, but i think its pretty good to give him a chance to shine he wants to going after ACME in demand for reasons rather than keep chasing after Road Runner, especially he has a motivation of "never give up" for his confession to Kevin, which is a nice inclusion of some heart warming moment for his chemistry between him and Kevin. Plus, its also fun that, like i said, he's always being mute, he does share his dialogue with signs, even if he has a limited number of signs. I think they did a good job that we wanna root for him to dealing with ACME instead of typical comedic failure.

Next up, we have Kevin Avery (played by Will Forte), he's main human role (while Coyote is more of a main focus) as a senior lawyer in his attorney group "Avery, Jones and Maltese", whom, despite he looks like a well-meaning and helpful man, but he's more of an down-and-out lawyer that he needs to know about any proofs. I find him to be fairly descent character that he's kinda like an outsider, he's much of small lawyer and stressed out, especially its the first time he's becoming Coyote's lawyer in order to suing ACME. But then again, its not easy to do so to understanding either finding the secret truth about ACME or trying to get back up like Coyote does. Even though im nowhere familiar with Will Forte, but i think he did a nice work of his role, making him more like a attorney version of David, eh?

Speaking of "David and Goliath", how about Buddy Crane (played by Peacemaker and former multi-times WWE champ himself, John Cena), he's the richest, strong and big shot lawyer to ACME that's pretty much made to not only keeping ACME in secret, but also being protective and snobbish towards anyone if they're either questioning or taking personal on him. I think he's a memorable villain (tho secondary) for, while being finest lawyer to ACME, but also being snob and big shot when he's about to see Coyote and Kevin Avery in court to question based on weapons and gadgets gone wrong, along with double down by saying "So what? Everyone like to see Cartoon Characters fail in hilarious fashion.", especially for being supported by the CEO of ACME. Of course, John Cena did a great job for his role for being tough and snob as a favored lawyer for corporation, especially how his name is actually based on one of the most hated Looney Tunes character, Buddy. I mean Cena is written as the man you love to hate.

Speaking of villain that you love to hate, what about the CEO of ACME, you asked? Well, in big surprise (though its been shown in first act), its none other than Foghorn Leghorn (voiced by Eric Bauza). At first, i thought Buddy is the CEO of ACME, but in reality, its Foghorn who's the boss of ACME all along. If anyone of you ever watching Looney Tunes, Foghorn is known for talk-to-talk in the farm to pretty much getting everyone's nerve to go "AHHHHHH *smack* SHADDAP!!", especially how the creation is an inspiration from Kenny Delmar's character, Senator Claghorn. In this movie, while he's somewhat remains the same, but he's more like a politician how he's always standby his business practice due to allegations against him and his company and, like Buddy, he's always protective to his corporation to prevent people like Coyote and Kevin for trying to expose their secrets. Even though he's kinda less focus compared to Buddy, but i find him to be both surprising and pretty good to make more of a villain role, along with Eric Bauza, once again, did a good job for his roles of Looney Tunes' characters.

As for the rest of the live action characters, they have their role for plot convenient or for jokes.

Such as Paige Avery (played by Lana Condor) who's an intern at Avery, Jones and Maltese where she helps our heroes to finding any evidence until she'll be promoted, Sal Maltese and Dottie Jones (played by Tone Ball and Martha Kelly) are the co-founders of their attorney group, Bill Pelicanos (played by P.J. Byrne) who's another one of ACME's lawyers, and Talon (played by Ernie Vigil), who's an enforcer with Tweety (also voiced by Eric Bauza) as a mercenary (talk about unusual, but eh, im fine for Tweety as the baddie, even my feeling for little bird has been change that he's more... Overrated. Don't get too personal in the comment, that's just my opinion).

As for the rest of Looney Tunes, while its nice to see them, but they have a very minimal of their appearance, despite briefly explaining their roles, of course like i said, many of them are voiced by both Bauza and Candi Milo.

There's Daffy Duck, who's a former employee of ACME before he's going looney and being taken to St. Looney Asylum, fictional Peter Lorre who's a scientist to ACME Corp from the start before he got disappeared, Porky Pig, the straight local in Albuquerque and hopefully he would like to joining the attorney group, Elmer Fudd who's now a senator chairman of congressional hearing (sounds like he's taking a break of hunting wabbit), Granny who's Lorre's reclusive wife for explain about the dark truth about ACME.

Oh, and as for our favorite rabbit, Bugs Bunny? Well, we do get to see him in second act, though im not gonna explain his role due to SPOILER, but still, its nice to see him again, as a last minute inclusion as i've mentioned.

Even though many characters has their small roles, since we're focus on Coyote, Avery, Buddy and Foghorn, but the characters are pretty good for their roles in this movie, the voice acting with Bauza, Milo and Jim Cummings (as Tasmanian Devil) are pretty good and fun to listen to, while the actors are pretty good, even if some may have some flaws.

And now for my final opinion for this film.

Overall, Coyote vs ACME is a well-deserved redemption film and a pretty good film to watch.

The story is very good to having about Coyote suing ACME instead of ongoing chasing after Road Runner, the writing is very good too for its humor, the heart and its message, the action scenes are also funny, but entertaining, the animation is nice and the characters are both good and surprising.

While i enjoy this one, but it doesn't mean its 100% perfect for some flaws like some acting can get a bit off compared to Forte, Cena or some others, and the quality cel-shaded 3D animation to the characters are iffy, which it would've been good to stay in 2D, but that's just me.

Again, even though its not perfect, but its a great film to watch after reports of cancelation from poor business practice from David Zaslav. I guess you can say, this movie is like "Life imitate art" based one what we've heard, eh? Its definitely a Must-Watch film that you guys need to check it out, especially for the fans of Looney Tunes like me. I'd say get your friends and family together to see this, cause this one is highly recommended.

For my rating, im gonna give this one a semi perfect rating of 9/10, along with earning the Trophy of Success. Who knew movies with second chance make it better like this one, huh?

So this ends of my Movie Review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.

Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.