It was legendary film producer Edward R. Pressman who said that every film is a miracle. A combination of sheer determination, luck and talent, filmmaking is a miraculous feat even when the film itself may not seem particularly noteworthy. That sentiment rings particularly true with the long-awaited release of Coyote vs. Acme, a film that almost never made it in front of an audience. Originally shelved by Warner Bros at the behest of CEO David Zaslav, the film was entirely completed before the plug was seemingly pulled, never to see the light of day, for the means of a $30 million tax write-off. After a substantial amount of fan outcry, and from the film’s cast and crew, indie distributor Ketchup Entertainment, who also rescued WB’s other discarded Looney Tunes film The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, picked the film up and has now released it to the masses, as the world intended. In a case of art imitating life and vice versa, this live-action/animation hybrid is an underdog story about a little Coyote taking on a massive corporate conglomerate who has taken him for granted at every turn. And while the mega-corporation originally behind the film did its best to try and bury the film, this clever and consistently delightful ode to the resilient spirit of the underdog is simply too good to be left on a hard drive somewhere never to be seen.
Courtesy Ketchup Entertainment
Wile E. Coyote continues to chase after the Roadrunner despite one failed attempt after another. Using Acme Corporation products, the Coyote has seen no success in his hunt for the Roadrunner, just an endless barrage of self-exploding faulty equipment. He has been battered by boulders, tricked by tunnels, mangled by magnets and rocked by rockets. After having enough, the Coyote sees an ad for cartoon accident lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte) and decides to sue the Acme Corporation over their failed gadgets. Taking on the mega-conglomerate, Wile, Kevin and his idealistic niece/intern Paige (Lana Condor) faces Acme’s legal team, spearheaded by Acme’s high-powered lawyer Buddy Crane (a pitch-perfect John Cena), an old law school bully of Kevin’s, in a David-versus-Goliath story that involves a massive corporate cover-up and appearances from your favorite Looney Tunes characters.
Directed by Dave Green, Coyote vs. Acme is a resoundingly funny, inventive and whip-smart live-action/animation hybrid. Taking a page out of Who Framed Roger Rabbit and the underrated Looney Tunes: Back in Action, where humans and cartoon characters live side-by-side in the real world, Green’s film successfully takes the wacky, slapstick stylings of the classic Looney Tunes and combines those stylings with a witty legal thriller that takes inspiration from John Grisham adaptations and even the likes of Spotlight and Erin Brockovich. What’s so impressive about Green’s film is how the filmmaker is able to weave in so many differing threads and tones, servicing longtime Looney Tunes fans and newbies to the characters, while making all of it feel natural and sturdy as a whole. Green, and screenwriter Samy Burch (May December) never gets lost in simple visual gags — of which there are plenty — and emphasizes character growth and developing relationships, while deftly satirizing courtroom dramas with enough good-hearted laughs that young viewers won’t get bored by the legal thriller mechanics of the narrative.
Courtesy Ketchup Entertainment
Green’s film is equally strong as an often hysterical Looney Tunes adventure and as a seething critique on corporate monopolies and big business. This is the kind of film that has anvils being dropped on characters heads and also features Foghorn Leghorn bragging about his tax shelter. Wile E. Coyote is the true star of the film and his unwavering perseverance is explored with great care and thoughtfulness. While Acme uses their endless means to get the case tossed out or to get a leg up on the cartoon character through mass surveillance and informants — Tweedy Bird has a hilarious back-and-forth with John Cena where the term “taw” is thrown around more times than I can likely count, Wile E. Coyote’s determination is proven to be impenetrable. The silent Coyote has typically been the butt of jokes for as long as the character has existed and Green’s film finally gives the character meaningful depth and, dare I say, a rich sense of pathos. The final act features a wordless exchange so quietly poignant, you might be shocked at the lump beginning to form in your throat.
Will Forte’s performance is rather remarkable. Forte’s Kevin is a burnt-out billboard lawyer who is content with quick cash settlements and having little to no responsibility. He resists being called upon to take on the behemoth that is Acme, but throughout the film we see his character naturally respond to Wile and his determination to seek the justice that is owed to him. Forte has been a brilliant comedic talent since his days on Saturday Night Live, but his dramatic chops have largely been ignored. His turn in Alexander Payne’s Nebraska is a reminder of the multifaceted talent that Forte is and his work here is no different. Forte’s comedic timing opposite the animated Coyote is impeccable, while finding the dramatic through line between the spineless lawyer he’s become and the once-spirited law school grad he once was. Forte nails the broader comedic beats, but the underlying humanism makes the character feel all the more relatable. It’s a performance worthy of comparison to Bob Hoskins’ genius work in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Courtesy Ketchup Entertainment
Coyote vs. Acme is the best of its kind since Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Director Dave Green skillfully balances absurd Looney Tunes shenanigans with emotional and narrative depth. This is a story of resilience whose inadverted metatextual layers only add to the power of its messaging. How anyone in their right mind could ever shelve this movie is one of life’s greatest mysteries.
Coyote vs. Acme is now playing in theaters.
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