We all had our own unique childhoods with unique experiences and interests. However, there are certain pieces of media that seem to be almost universally adored, being a vital part of the upbringing of people that span generations and geographical locations. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t familiar with Looney Tunes, which has been a part of the worldwide culture since the 1940s, when it first premiered as a series of short films before becoming a nearly unstoppable force, dominating every conceivable medium, which is not surprising considering how the blend of slapstick humour and witty writing, combined with the distinct character design and colourful animation, made them almost universally resonant. It is for this reason that these characters still retain enormous cultural cachet, and that audiences of all ages will always leap at the opportunity to spend a bit of time with the likes of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and a range of other eccentric characters that defined so many childhoods. The most recent endeavour to bring them to life on screen comes in the form of Coyote vs. Acme, a film as delightfully irreverent as its title. The story follows Kevin Avery, a down-on-his-luck lawyer who is hoping for his big break, which comes in the form of a new client: Wile E. Coyote, the ravenous canine who is desperate to capture his nemesis, the Road Runner, but who has grown tired of all the products supplied to him by the Acme Company backfiring in one way or another. He requests that Kevin represent him, and after a moment of reluctance, he agrees – but not before recognising the challenges that come with taking on a major corporation, especially one that has such a sinister reputation. A wonderfully strange and consistently entertaining comedy that knows exactly how to pay tribute to these iconic cartoons while also bringing them into the modern era, Coyote vs. Acme is an absolute delight, and one of the many examples of how a property can be exceptionally revived without losing any of the charm that made it such a cultural landmark in the first place.

Coyote vs. Acme is evidence that a good concept can be elevated substantially when a strong story is introduced. Credit for this has to go to the entire team involved in creating this film, since they had quite an ambitious idea driving the story, and one that could’ve easily fallen apart without the right approach. Samy Burch is quickly becoming one of the most interesting writers working today, with both May December and Late Fame being promising introductions to her specific brand of intellectual provocation. The idea of writing a Looney Tunes film may seem counterintuitive at first (although he has to recognise that the screenplay likely predates the other two films, at least in terms of its conception), until we actually see it in practice, where its inner brilliance becomes clear. There is no need to wax poetic about the cultural importance of Looney Tunes as a whole, since we are all very much aware of their legacy. Instead, we can focus on how Burch and director Dave Green (returning to the medium after a decade) bring in a range of new ideas. These characters have often been used as vessels through which much deeper themes, usually tied to the social and cultural milieu of the era, can be communicated, and in Coyote vs. Acme, they’re taking aim at big corporations, the enormous entities that govern nearly every aspect of our everyday lives, often without our knowledge. We live in an era where the public is growing more aware of just how much of society is controlled by a small group of very wealthy people, who tend to view us as merely pawns in their efforts to grow richer and more powerful, to the point where it is no longer even fodder for mindless conspiracy theories, but very close to an unimpeachable fact. Perhaps it was not the intention of this film – after all, the premise (Wile E. Coyote sues Acme for faulty products) is objectively very funny and can easily be divorced from any subversive commentary – but it would be foolish to imagine Coyote vs. Acme wasn’t at least partially inspired by the current state of the world, which makes for a fascinating social satire.

However, as much as we may be tempted to dissect every narrative decision of this film in an effort to plunder its many complex themes embedded in the narrative, no one ventures into Coyote vs. Acme for the sole reason of experiencing a scathing satire on corporate greed (although one has to wonder if the controversy surrounding this film, where it was originally shelved and set to never be released, was in some way a response to its very clear anti-corporate message), but rather for the thrill of seeing familiar characters in increasingly hilarious scenarios. The film is masterfully made, and far more nuanced in its execution than we may have expected. Hollywood has often ventured into films that seamlessly blend live action and animation, and while there have been some remarkable successes, it can also be quite tricky (for every Who Framed Roger Rabbit there is a Howard the Duck), since it’s both a labour-intensive process and one that requires the viewer to suspend quite a bit of disbelief in the process. The key to why it succeeds in Coyote vs. Acme (and some of the previous attempts to do this with these characters – I will always defend Looney Tunes: Back in Action as a misunderstood film) is because the filmmakers don’t dial it back, and instead go in the complete opposite direction, taking the opportunity to lean into the inherent absurdity that has always been essential to these stories. When there is a chance to be wacky, the film goes for it with full enthusiasm, never being afraid to stretch the rules of logic or physics, openly embracing the flexibility that we’ve come to expect from these stories. The blending of the live action and animation is not always as smooth as it could’ve been (likely because the animated characters were rendered using CGI, while still emulating the hand-drawn style usually associated with the characters, which gives it a slightly off-kilter look at some points), but it doesn’t impact the enjoyment of the film in any way, and allows for a lot more elasticity in how the film combines the two different styles into one massively entertaining romp.

The connective tissue between the live action and animated aspects of Coyote vs. Acme ultimately is not the style on its own, but also the actors tasked with bringing these stories to the screen. On the side of the human characters, we have a terrific cast, led by Will Forte, who once again proves that he is one of the most effortlessly gifted comedic actors. He can say as much with a lengthy monologue as he does with a single gesture or facial expression (and the fact that he’s one of the most physically dynamic performers working today only increases their impact), and makes for a perfect lead for this film, having the ability to play the straight man or lean into the inherent goofiness in a way that makes us understand why he is so exceptionally beloved by audiences. It’s not an easy task to be acting almost exclusively across from animated characters, but Forte does very well in bringing the character to life and making the connections between him and the other characters seem entirely authentic. The same can be said for Lana Condor, who may not be as funny as Forte, but who has her own moments of genuine charm, particularly since she is primarily playing the voice of reason in this tempest of unhinged madness. There’s the always reliable John Cena as one of the film’s primary villains, and as perhaps one of the closest examples we have of a real-world actor who can be considered a Looney Tunes cartoon himself, he’s a perfect match for this film’s tone and style. Credit absolutely must be given to Eric Bauza, a veteran voice actor who has the unenviable task of playing nearly every animated character in this film (Candi Milo and Jim Cummings have a few roles themselves), which is quite an achievement considering there are over two dozen characters who populate the story, each one of them needing to convincingly sound like their original versions, which Bauza has worked laboriously to perfect over the years since he ascended to the in-house actor for these iconic characters. It’s a tremendous cast that works exceptionally well together, bringing so much life and energy into a relatively simple project that is massively elevated by their incredible commitment to this absurd premise.

It certainly is difficult to resist the charms of Coyote vs. Acme, which is not a film that needs to be taken particularly seriously, and while it most definitely does not reinvent the genre in any meaningful way. However, what it does do exceptionally well is finding ways to remind us of the merits that come with embracing more traditional storytelling techniques, where a simple premise (particularly one that doesn’t have too many ulterior motives in terms of its underlying message – although we can find a lot of relevant commentary in what this film is saying) is brought to life with a constant commitment to entertaining the audience more than subverting our expectations. At no point in this film does it attempt to reinvent the characters or take them in another direction in an effort to make them more relevant to the contemporary era. Instead, all it needs to do is focus on reminding viewers about why Looney Tunes remains such a vital piece of media, a part of countless childhoods and a cultural landmark that is showing very little sign of becoming irrelevant. Coyote vs. Acme is a resounding success because it acknowledges that beneath the decades of accumulated nostalgia and the undeniable cultural significance, Looney Tunes has always been about the simple pleasure of watching these iconic characters get themselves into increasingly absurd situations. It has unquestionable affection for its source material, while also knowing that certain subtle changes need to take place to bring it to the modern era – nothing radical, but rather small alterations in style and approach that prove that the film is not at all resting on its laurels, but rather being a dynamic revival into the contemporary era. Whether you are someone revisiting these characters for the first time in a while, or a new viewer who has never encountered them before, Coyote vs. Acme is brilliantly entertaining and always deeply compelling, being a fervent reminder of why we fell in love with these characters in the first place.