Coyote vs Acme Movie Review

Coyote vs. Acme is a live-action/animated comedy based on characters you know and love… and root for. However, it’s who you root for that will make this movie one of the best of the year or not. ​

Either way, you’ll still love it. I mean, come on… it’s the Coyote going after Acme! It’s a winner by that alone. What I’ve learned is that the movie is based on a New Yorker article called “Coyote v. Acme” written by Ian Frazier. It starts, “In the United States District Court, Southwestern District, Tempe, Arizona Case No. B19294.” I’m in Tempe all the time and I love the connection to this case. Wink.

A little history about this particular film that I should mention in case you didn’t already know. Warner Brothers was going to toss the film and never release it. It was going to rot away and be a nice tax write-off for them. Luckily for us, Ketchup Entertainment didn’t let that happen and bought it. Whew! Imagine having worked on this product only to have it sit in a warehouse somewhere, never to be seen. Thank you, Ketchup, for saving it for us!

Anyway, told in the “Roger Rabbit” style, where you see live action and cartoon working together, this hybrid couldn’t have been more fun to watch. Wile E. Coyote getting through court security is fantastic. Do you feel for Coyote? Isn’t he just going after what he wants… as most of us are? He trusts that when he gets an Acme product, it’ll do as it says it will, and all too often it blows up in his face… literally! That’s not fair! Well, he has had enough and decides to sue for the years of catastrophes that have befallen him because of his trust in them over and over. Kind of sounds like his fault, honestly. One would think he would have learned sooner not to trust them, but he kept giving them the benefit of the doubt. We need more of that in the world. Acme has a monopoly on most of the products he needs for his work so, whatcha gonna do? Well, you hire lawyer Kevin Avery, played beautifully by Will Forte. He goes hard after the Acme Corp who is represented by pitbull Buddy Crane, played by John Cena who argues that the Coyote’s pains are self-inflicted. Their product doesn’t hurt humans, only cartoons, so what do they really care about this lawsuit. It’s around this part of the film when more and more Looney Tunes characters show up. Appearances by our favorite rabbit, pig, rooster, little yellow bird and “Dranny.” The jokes don’t stop.

There is so much of the old stuff in this that you’re not going to be able to wipe the smile off your face for days. During the screening, I heard in kids and adults alike. They were fall down laughing the whole time. A merriment filled the theater, not a chuckle or two here and there, but people were truly enjoying themselves. It has a gripping theme, as well. There are times of darkness. Those characters who are evil play the parts well and are well-written, both human and cartoon. With this, you go in knowing what you’re going to get, but you get much more. The film is very humorous, very entertaining, (charming even), and you need to see this at the theater and then see it again for a flashback you may have missed. You will pull for the Coyote. Trust me. First time maybe, but you will. Don’t miss this. Enjoy!