Coyote vs. Acme review: Excellent family film finally sees light of day
The live-action/animated hybrid Coyote vs. Acme was initially shelved by Warner Bros. for tax purposes after it was filmed in 2022. But thanks to uproar online, they reversed the decision and allowed the filmmaking team to shop it to other distributors. It’s taken several years, but the wonderful Coyote vs. Acme is finally getting its time to shine.
Set in a world where humans and cartoon characters co-exist, Wil E. Coyote hires personal injury lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte) to represent him in a case against the Acme Corporation. Every cartoon product he has brought from Acme over the years has backfired on him in his pursuit of the Road Runner and he wants justice. Avery is a small-time lawyer who typically settles cases, but Wil E. Coyote refuses to accept a settlement and is determined to face off against Acme’s lawyer Buddy Crane (John Cena) at trial.
Coyote vs. Acme was a nostalgic experience as the blend of live-action and cartoon made me think of childhood favourites like Space Jam and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I got a kick out of seeing the cartoons in the real world, interacting with the actors, who do a brilliant job of convincingly conversing with the cartoons. The film has a strong concept and script, an excellent sense of humour and great attention to detail, and it’s a delight to watch.
While Wil E. Coyote and Road Runner are the primary Looney Tunes characters, the film is filled with them. For example, Foghorn Leghorn has a prominent role as the boss of the Acme Corporation, while the likes of Bugs Bunny, Tweety and Daffy Duck also pop up (among many others). Wil E. Coyote is best known as a solitary character, alone in the desert setting up traps for Road Runner, so it’s amusing to see him working with a team in a legal office. Director Dave Green comes up with clever ways for him to communicate, considering he doesn’t speak.
The first half is certainly stronger than the second because the jokes are funnier and more frequent, the faulty Acme products are amusing and there are solid fish-out-of-water elements: Wil E. Coyote living like a human in Albuquerque and Avery taking on his first David vs. Goliath case. It loses some magic once the trial gets underway, but it’s always entertaining.
Coyote vs. Acme is a throwback family film that is far funnier and smarter than the premise might suggest. I’m really glad it’s getting the release it deserves.
In select cinemas from Friday 21st August, before opening wider on Friday 28th August