Wile E. Coyote's never-ending quest to capture the speedy RoadRunner takes a surprising turn in the new animated film Coyote vs. Acme — but, this time, not into the side of a desert mountain painted like a tunnel.
When a Cartoon Is Also a Legal Thriller
In a story that’s equal parts slapstick Looney Tunes animated comedy, corporate conspiracy thriller, and tongue-in-cheek legal drama, it answers the question: what if Wile E. Coyote decided to sue ACME Corp. for all those faulty products, such as rocket-powered roller skates?
Whip smart and explosively funny in many scenes, Coyote vs. Acme is far more than its premise, which may sound like an amusing extended SNL skit with lots of cartoon kabooms.
This family comedy recasts the coyote’s age-old fanatical pursuit of the bird as an ode to perseverance. Such themes play even better because this film itself almost got canned by bean-counter corporate executives.
The Movie That Almost Wasn't
After director Dave Green spent years planning and filming Coyote vs. Acme, Warner Bros. Discovery shelved it in fall 2023, seemingly never to be released. Then a loud fan campaign prompted the studio to sell it to Ketchup Entertainment, who’s distributing it this weekend.
In an age when kids movies have photorealistic leads like Sonic and Paddington Bear, a scraggly, hand-drawn coyote is an unlikely star, a throwback to Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and films decades earlier.
Young fans of the classic hilarious chase shorts may find some stretches of this film go over their heads, and it has a minor coarse-language problem (more below).
Still, in a time when we all need a good laugh, Coyote vs. Acme is an ambitious, well-executed comedy with a surprisingly inventive ending, a rarity among family franchise movies.
Coyote Gets His Day in Court
After a long day of scheming — or 77 years of it, counting from when Chuck Jones introduced him — Wile E. Coyote returns to his Monument Valley cave. He sees a TV ad for personal injury firm Avery, Jones & Maltese, promising cash for claims against ACME.
Coyote heads to Albuquerque and makes his case to lawyer Kevin (a wry, understated Will Forte), using signs and ample evidence of ACME’s faulty devices. Kevin takes him as a client but gets much more than he bargained for.
This dramedy works so well because Green and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Samy Burch make the inspired choice to have Looney Tunes characters play roles in the ensemble, akin to Jim Henson’s comedy troupe in The Muppet Christmas Carol.
We get to see fast-talking Foghorn Leghorn ruling the roost of a mega-corporation, Bugs Bunny as a mysterious informant, Tweety Bird’s Granny seeking her lost scientist husband, Daffy Duck committed to a mental health institution — plus, a few other surprise roles I won’t spoil.
Any parent taking a kindergartener or younger should prepare to whisper-read some on-screen text. And while the peril is cartoonish — such as a train barreling down a dark tunnel — the hybrid of live action and animation could make some scenes more intense for young kids.
More concerning are several uses of “d*mn” and one character saying “p*ssed off.” As a parent, I’ve learned to say upfront, We will hear bad words sometimes in movies that we don’t repeat — and some kids may need that reminder here.
As a ’90s kid with nostalgia for Space Jam, I’m not sure this tops the Michael Jordan/Bugs Bunny team-up, but Coyote vs. Acme keeps the gags coming.
Most kids should stay engaged, with perhaps a few restless moments during its 103 minutes.
When the Little Guy Pushes Back
As the courtroom drama heats up, ACME legal counsel Buddy Crane, played to perfection by John Cena, tries to keep Kevin and law firm intern Paige (Lana Condor) from uncovering the full truth.
They eventually discover ACME’s top-secret Project Sisyphus, which uses Coyote and other animated characters as unwitting test subjects. The name slyly references the Greek myth of Sisyphus, doomed to roll a boulder uphill only to watch it tumble back down for eternity.
Clearly, Coyote vs. Acme plays on multiple levels, giving even kids accustomed to wall-to-wall slapstick a deeper look into Wile E.’s travails — and his psyche.
“This character wants something very deeply, and his passion, persistence and resilience are what fuel his every day,” said Green in a recent interview. “When you start to look at all the injuries and times ACME has mistreated him, you start to realize, that's actually a bit unfair.”
The film wraps up with a feel-good public hearing reminiscent of Miracle on 34th Street, delivering a timely warning about corporate bullies profiting at the little guy’s expense.
That message is especially relevant given Warner Bros. Discovery executive David Zaslav’s decision — later reversed — to vault this finished film rather than release it, as WBD also did with Scooby-Doo! Holiday Haunt and episodes of Sesame Street.
Now Hollywood is watching: Will audiences show up and prove the corporate fat cats wrong?
Fans of the zany, often violent Bugs Bunny cartoons will likely see Coyote vs. Acme as a labor of love. Those less invested in classic slapstick may find it silly or miss some in-jokes, but everyone will find something to laugh about.
I rank Coyote vs. Acme among the year’s Top 10 movies. That may not be going out on a limb — or, in this case, a ledge — but if it is, I’d be in good company with one determined coyote.
Rated PG for cartoon violence and some language, Coyote vs. Acme opens in theaters on Friday, Aug. 28.
Image: Ketchup Entertainment
Freelance journalist Josh Shepherd writes on faith and culture for several media outlets. He and his family live in central Florida.
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