There are films that just won’t die. They go through production hell, limp out of the other side, and make their premiere date, much to the relief of the cast and crew. And then….there’s the twisty, turny journey of ‘Coyote vs ACME.’ ‘Coyote vs ACME’ finished in 2023 and was a complete movie when it was shelved by Warner Brothers Discovery for a tax break.
Then came the voices.
The cast. The crew. They all talked about how great of a film it was, never letting ‘Coyote vs ACME’ fade into obscurity.
All of their hard work will finally pay off with the worldwide release of ‘Coyote vs ACME’ to the masses and, boy, was this film worth the wait. ‘Coyote vs ACME’ bridges the gap between young and old, slipping slightly at times, to bring fans and newcomers alike a funny, complete, and absolutely zany time at the theater. Truly, the film is everything and more that has been said about it by it’s cast and crew. ‘Coyote vs ACME’ is truly a masterpiece of animation and live action meeting in a truly special way.
Wile E. Coyote has been trying to catch the Road Runner for decades. Unfortunately, something has gone catastrophically wrong literally every time he’s tried. Coyote has been: blown up, smashed, hit by a truck, hit by a plane, dropped off of a cliff, and horribly maimed over and over again. Looking for a sense of relief, he links up with Cartoon Lawyer, Kevin Avery (Will Forte), to get what he thinks he’s owed from the ACME corporation. Set within these parameters, ‘Coyote vs ACME’ takes audiences on one of the zaniest adventures ever put to screen. ‘Coyote vs ACME’ is not only one of the best family films of the year, it’s purely one of the best films put in a theater this year.
Roger Rabbit For A New Generation
Mixing live action with animation has never been easy, but has been continuously effective in garnering widespread adoration. ‘Mary Poppins,’ ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,’ and ‘Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers’ found success through tumultuous production, however, not in the same way that ‘Coyote vs ACME.’ ‘Coyote vs ACME’ serves as a love letter to each of these groundbreaking films, creating a new mash up for a new generation to fall in love with. Kudos to Will Forte, who spent most of his time interacting with a nonverbal character and still managed to put on a clinic of comedic acting. Much like Bob Hoskins before him, Forte showed a love for this type of film, diving headlong into the role.
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The same characteristic that makes ‘Coyote’ unique also brings it trouble. Many of the characters seen throughout the film, while getting Leo finger points from parents, get “who is that?” from kids. My son told me after the film that he didn’t get a lot of the jokes and that makes sense considering he only knows Bugs Bunny from Fortnite. Lorre is a prime example. The character is based on a movie star, Peter Lorre, who died in 1964. The lack of Looney Tunes over these last few decades has created quite the gap in knowledge. ‘Coyote,’ however, is a great entry point for those same children. My son still enjoyed the film, laughing often and making him want to know just a bit more about these wacky and zany cartoons from his dad’s childhood.
Worth the Wait
Tumultuous history aside, ‘Coyote vs Acme’ is a truly exceptional film that has been absolutely worth the wait. The story was compelling, funny, and it worked so very well. A story about a cartoon Coyote suing a massive corporation because their products caused him actual physical harm should never have gotten off of the ground, but it did and the cast and crew executed their parts flawlessly. The choice of characters and the roles that they play throughout were brilliant and nostalgic. The subtle nods were pure joy for anyone who has taken a wrong turn at Albuquerque. ‘Coyote’ is simple, pure joy bottled in an hour and forty minutes.
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The charm in this film, so much so that it’s getting brought up twice, is Will Forte and the relationship he builds with Wile E. Coyote. Forte manages to build a believable relationship that has a complete story arc with a cartoon that speaks exclusively in signs and, oh by the way, Coyote isn’t in the room with him. This speaks to Forte’s talent and ability to do literally anything. Coyote and Forte have arguably the best chemistry on screen this year.
Final Thought:
‘Coyote vs ACME’ is cinematic brilliance. Worthy of multiple viewings, those of us who grew up on classics like ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ will find a sense of home in it’s familiarness. While those new to Looney Tunes will be introduced to one of the greatest to ever do it. ‘Coyote vs ACME’ is hilarious, yet moving, ludicrous, yet thought provoking. Echoing it’s own history, ‘Coyote vs ACME’ is proof perfect that the little guy can stand up to the big guy and win.
