REVIEW: “Coyote vs. Acme”
Courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment
For decades, Wile E. Coyote has survived falling anvils, faulty rockets, and enough dynamite to level a desert mountain range. So what’s the one thing that finally pushes him over the edge? Lousy customer service. In Coyote vs. Acme, the most resilient loser in cartoon history hires a lawyer and takes the company behind all those faulty gadgets to court. Director Dave Green fully embraces the absurdity of this premise, and blends 2D animation with live-action in a comedy that follows in the footsteps of Space Jam and, of course, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. And like those films, it has an instant magical spark that comes from watching real actors share the screen with classic cartoon characters in the real world. Green makes the most of it, taking the movie’s central legal battle seriously enough to make us actually care, before turning the courtroom into a stage for classic Looney Tunes chaos.
Wile E.’s lawyer, Kevin Avery (Will Forte), is a down-on-his-luck billboard lawyer whose career has gone nowhere. Opposing him is Buddy Crane (John Cena), a slick corporate attorney determined to defend ACME no matter what. The cleverness of the setup is how it turns years of Road Runner cartoons into courtroom evidence, raising a question nobody expected to hear in court: how much is Wile E. to blame, and how much fault lies with the company that keeps selling him defective products?
A jokey concept like this could work in a commercial or even a short film, but keeping it going for a whole movie takes more, and Forte brings the energy that makes it work. Kevin is just going through the motions, having settled for being an ambulance chaser instead of a lawyer who really helps anyone. Forte nails that tired resignation; Kevin has been knocked down so many times in life that avoiding the next hit has become his whole career strategy. At first, he tries to get Wile E. to take a settlement and move on. But Wile E.’s stubbornness makes a quick resolution impossible, especially with Kevin’s niece Paige (Lana Condor) eager to help. She still believes in her uncle and that a lawyer can make a difference if they care enough. Together, they push Kevin into a battle he’d rather avoid, and in the process, help him find a reason to care again. Forte makes this change of purpose both funny and genuinely touching.
Condor is a great match for Forte, bringing a grounded energy that plays well against his frazzled charm. They make a strong team, and their natural chemistry gives the human side of the story enough warmth to balance out the cartoon craziness. Then there’s Cena, who’s great as the villain. His sharp suits and big smile hide a man who’ll say anything in order to protect his client. Cena uses his imposing stature for laughs but still makes Buddy seem like a credible threat. He can deliver a slick argument and flash a grin while making you desperately want to see him get an ACME anvil to the head. It’s a sharp comedic performance, and the movie gets a boost of energy whenever he’s on screen.
Wile E. is still wonderfully expressive without ever saying a word. One exhausted look can land a joke or remind you just how many times he’s picked himself off the desert floor. Other Looney Tunes characters join the fun too, including some lesser-known ones that might fly over kids’ heads but longtime cartoon fans will love. Those appearances come with a small drawback, though. The animation on several characters isn’t as sharp as it should be, and the voices don’t quite match the magic of the originals Mel Blanc brought to life. Although this difference might be tough to overlook, it doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of seeing these characters back on the big screen.
There’s also a sharp edge hidden beneath all this chaos, one that comes straight from the movie’s own road to theaters. Warner Bros. shelved the finished film, willing to let years of work disappear rather than release it, before Ketchup Entertainment stepped in and rescued it from the vault. Just think about that: a movie about a little guy fighting back against a corporation almost got buried by a corporation that decided it was worth more unseen than seen. You couldn’t write a better punchline. That real-world irony gives every ACME joke extra bite, and it makes Wile E.’s underdog fight feel a little more personal. You don’t need to know any of that backstory to enjoy the movie, but once you do, rooting for Wile E. starts to feel like rooting for the filmmakers too
While the plot can feel predictable at times, and a few scenes slow down to underline points the movie's already made. Those are minor setbacks in a movie with this much energy and affection for its characters. Coyote vs. Acme is funny, warm, and easy to enjoy. Wile E. might never catch the Road Runner, but here, he finds something even better: friends willing to stand beside him when the next anvil falls.
Coyote vs. Acme is currently playing in wide release.