I honestly can’t believe Warner Bros. almost didn’t release this movie.
Wile E. Coyote vs. Acme had such a tortured history. The movie was shelved, people were understandably pissed, there was a huge uproar, and thankfully, they eventually listened and put it out. And thank God they did, because this is a genuinely wonderful movie.
I’ve loved Looney Tunes my entire life, and I’ve always had a soft spot for movies that mix live action and animation. That’s a huge reason why Who Framed Roger Rabbit remains one of my favorite movies ever. When that combination is done right, there’s just something magical about it. Coyote vs. Acme obviously isn’t Roger Rabbit, but it does a damn good job carrying that torch.
The movie stars Will Forte, Lana Condor, John Cena, P.J. Byrne, Martha Kelly, Tone Bell, and, of course, just about every Looney Tune you could ask for. But at the center of everything are Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.
The premise is pretty great: after decades of getting his ass handed to him by malfunctioning Acme products, Wile E. finally decides he’s had enough and takes Acme to court. He ends up working with Will Forte’s small law firm, and together they uncover what Acme has really been doing. John Cena plays the head of Acme’s legal team, with P.J. Byrne as his sidekick, and naturally, they’re doing everything they can to cover up the company’s shady practices.
And this movie is really funny.
There are tons of gags, montages and classic Looney Tunes-style physical comedy. Some of the funniest moments are just watching the toll that decades of Acme products have taken on Wile E. Coyote. The movie knows exactly how ridiculous his history is and has a lot of fun with it.
But underneath all of that comedy, there’s actually a surprisingly heartfelt story.
The entire relationship between Wile E. and the Road Runner is recontextualized. We’ve spent our entire lives watching Wile E. try to catch this bird, and we’re supposed to think he’s trying to kill him. But the movie digs deeper and shows that there’s actually a mutual respect—and even a friendship—between them.
Wile E. may never catch the Road Runner, but he’s never going to stop trying. That’s who he is. He’s got grit, he’s got heart, and he’s unbelievably determined. It’s his purpose. And the Road Runner understands that.
I never expected to get emotional watching Wile E. Coyote, but this movie actually got me.
And somehow, a simple “beep beep” carries an unbelievable amount of weight by the end. I didn’t think this movie would make me tear up, but here we are.
One of the most impressive things about the movie is Wile E. himself. He doesn’t speak a single word. Instead, he’s constantly holding up little signs to communicate, including a running gag about how he only has so many signs. But somehow, he conveys an incredible amount of emotion without saying anything.
That’s also why Will Forte deserves a ton of credit.
He’s essentially acting opposite nothing for huge portions of this movie, and that’s not easy. It takes a special kind of actor to make you believe that there’s a real character standing beside him. It’s the same reason Bob Hoskins worked so well with Roger Rabbit. If the live-action actor doesn’t sell the reality of the animated character, the entire thing falls apart. Forte completely sells it.
And then you have the rest of the Looney Tunes showing up: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn and more. Bugs’ introduction was especially fun, almost like a Deep Throat character from All the President’s Men, mysteriously communicating with them as an inside source. There are some great gags with Tweety and the other characters as well.
Foghorn Leghorn, in particular, plays a major role in the Acme side of things, and there’s something inherently funny about seeing these classic characters involved in an actual corporate conspiracy.
And that’s another thing I really liked about the movie: there’s a lot of real-world commentary underneath all the cartoon insanity.
Acme represents this gigantic corporation that basically owns everything. The little guy is trying to take down this massive company with unlimited resources, while Wile E. is just trying to get some justice. It’s a classic little-guy-versus-the-big-guy story.
There’s also a pretty obvious commentary about corporations becoming so massive that they control every aspect of our lives. Acme is essentially creating defective products for cartoons because cartoons can survive things that humans can’t. They’re exploiting that fact to develop technology that can eventually benefit their human customers, completely disregarding the suffering they’re causing to the cartoons.
It’s obviously exaggerated for comedy, but there’s a real message there about corporations deciding that something is acceptable simply because they don’t think the consequences matter.
And there’s something wonderfully meta about all of this considering the movie itself.
A small group of filmmakers made this movie, Warner Bros. tried to bury it, people fought back, and eventually the little guy won. Now the movie is actually out there, people are seeing it, and people seem to be having a great time with it.
My theater was packed tonight, and the crowd was loving it. There were plenty of kids laughing at the Looney Tunes gags, while the adults were picking up on some of the deeper themes. That’s exactly the kind of movie this is. Kids can watch it and have a blast, while adults can appreciate everything happening underneath the surface.
The cast is also really solid. John Cena continues to prove that this guy can pretty much do anything. Going toe-to-toe with Will Forte, who’s obviously a comedic genius, worked really well. P.J. Byrne was hilarious, Lana Condor was great, and Martha Kelly was a huge standout for me as Dottie.
Wile E. Coyote vs. Acme is funny, surprisingly heartfelt, packed with great Looney Tunes moments, and ultimately just a really fun time at the movies.
I’m glad we fought for this one.
Coyote Vs Acme = 75/100
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