Coyote vs. Acme: Film Gang Review

Coyote vs. Acme, directed by David Green and written by Sammy Burch, offers a modern twist on the Looney Tunes classic cartoon series. This family-friendly movie will appeal to kids for the anticipated chase and slapstick scenes. For adults, it is the “little guy” taking on a large corporation for faulty products that gives the film timely appeal. The film opens in 1992, foreshadowing an evil Acme plot. Acme Corporation scientist Dr. Lorre leaks a message to an unknown contact before being captured and imprisoned inside an Acme portable hole. More on that later. The animated film follows the antics of Wile E. Coyote and his plight to capture the pesky Road Runner. He orders his usual supplies from Acme—explosives, traps, tacks, and contraptions—that will hopefully thwart the Road Runner’s haunting “beep, beep.” Predictably, Coyote’s plans backfire, leaving him injured and with a bruised ego. It so happens that Coyote sees an ad from the law firm Avery, Jones & Maltese, a personal injury law firm in Albuquerque specializing in cartoon violence cases involving Acme products. Will Forte portrays senior partner Kevin Avery, who defends Coyote. When Coyote refuses to take a settlement and opts to go to trial, Buddy Crane, embraced and expertly played by John Cena, is Acme’s slick attorney. Cena and Forte are perfectly cast as two misfit attorneys taking on a historic case of Looney Tunes madness. Wile E. Coyote also gains our empathy as a character who never gets any respect and has spent a lifetime in torment. Back to Dr. Lorre, who recognized that Acme products, whether tested on humans or animated characters, would drive them insane. He was silenced, but another “whistleblower” does take center stage in the film. You will have to watch the movie to find out who it is—but he is iconic. The trial antics are entertaining, with a mix of actors and animation throughout the scenes. The plot twist is clever and a fresh take on characters generations have grown up with. The film appeals to all age groups and is a fun end-of-summer romp. No need to worry about Coyote and Road Runner in the future. They are back doing what they do best. Beep, beep! For KSQDs Film Gang: Susan Lovegren