Coyote vs. Acme

by Mike McGranaghan

It’s an absolute travesty that Coyote vs. Acme was going to just be deleted. Warner Bros. Discovery, under the management of CEO David Zaslav, decided to turn its Looney Tunes-based live-action/animation combo into a tax write-off. Doing so meant they could not sell it to another distributor; therefore, the plan was to simply delete the master file. Fortunately, public pressure convinced them to do otherwise, allowing the film to end up with the indie distributor Ketchup Entertainment. The world is a better place because it can see the light of day.

The story follows Wile E. Coyote, who grows frustrated with all the defective Acme products he uses in his failed attempts to catch the Road Runner. He hires low-grade lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte) to sue the company. Kevin is not used to going to trial. He’s more of a settlement kind of guy. His anxiety is raised by Acme’s own attorney, the ruthless Buddy Crane (John Cena). Niece Paige (Lana Condor) aims to calm his nerves by helping him prep the case. Several familiar Looney Tunes faces end up on the witness stand as a result.

The high-water mark for motion pictures that combine real actors and cartoon characters is obviously Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It was ingenious with its jokes and had a depth of storytelling that remains unmatched. The story in Coyote vs. Acme is much less nuanced. What we get is a fairly basic tale about how Kevin learns to be better in his occupation by finally taking a case seriously. The “David and Goliath” aspect is routine as well, although it feels ironically perfect given the crushing fate that a major conglomerate tried to inflict upon this film.

As for the ingenuity of the jokes, it’s absolutely on par with Robert Zemeckis’s 1988 classic. Rules from the cartoon world are hilariously applied to the real world, as when Wile E. Coyote opens up a small box and pulls out an endless array of faulty Acme products. Seeing humans interacting with toons offers additional humor, as do a plethora of in-jokes. Cameos from other Looney Tunes aren’t forced in mindlessly, they’re carefully conceived to make an impact. Turning the grandstanding Foghorn Leghorn into an Acme bigwig is an inspired choice. So is portraying Bugs Bunny as a Deep Throat-esque whistleblower. One gag after another elicits big, big laughs.

Will Forte was an excellent choice to play Kevin, given that he’s essentially a human cartoon. The actor looks completely natural opposite Wile E. Coyote, the Tasmanian Devil, Porky Pig, and others. Through his efforts, the live-action/animation blend comes off seamlessly. John Cena helps in that regard, giving an aptly broad performance as the defendant’s shark of an attorney. He plays Buddy with the same comic exaggeration that the Looney Tunes themselves have, which proves to be a perfect choice.

Coyote vs. Acme amusingly sends up courtroom dramas with its finale, adding an extra layer to its skewering of corporate malfeasance. The picture is also a love letter to the widely adored toons and their patented chaos. You can feel that love coming from director Dave Green, the cast, and the crew. What could have been a cynical exploitation of a popular IP is instead something celebratory. An unexpectedly tender wrap-up drives that home.

What a miracle that we finally get to see this movie.