Cartoons Fight An Evil Corporation in “Coyote vs. Acme”:

Despite Warner’s plans, Coyote and the Road Runner are back, this time to challenge ACME Corporation in the trial of the century. Is Coyote vs. Acme a film worth the controversy? Let’s find out.

If you’ve spent some time online during the past two months, you may have become aware of the miraculous release of one little film called Coyote vs. Acme. Based on the famous Looney Tunes characters and produced by Warner Bros., the project had been shelved by the company, and it was almost certain never to see the light of day.

The details of this movie’s troubled production have been shared by multiple sources online, so instead of repeating information, I’d like to discuss whether Coyote vs. Acme can hold its own without the controversy’s fuel. 

What is Coyote vs. Acme About?

The film follows Wile E. Coyote, who, after decades of catastrophic failures caused by defective ACME products, decides to sue the company.

To handle the case, Coyote hires Kevin Avery (Will Forte), an unmotivated personal injury lawyer who makes a living out of handling settlements for cartoon characters. Together, they will try to build a case against ACME Corporation, represented by Buddy Crane (John Cena), an aggressive corporate attorney.

Bringing Back The Oldies

If I had to describe Coyote vs. Acme in one word, I would say it’s friendly. It has none of the mean-spirited, condescending airs that have come to be synonymous with modern films, and it actually has some color to it!

The movie’s best asset is that it understands the humor of the Looney Tunes and gives its animated protagonist all the classic unrealistic and comical mishaps of the original cartoons. I was half expecting the film to make the same inhumane mistake of Tom & Jerry (that is, make the characters talk), but fortunately, the silence of both Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner remained intact. It plays with the use of signs when more expansive communication is needed, much like in the source material. Getting the humor right is what sustains 90% of the movie. 

The human cast does a pretty good job, and Will Forte has some nice moments as Kevin Avery, Coyote’s lawyer. Most of the storylines are nothing to write home about, but the result is a fun experience that, for once, may appeal to an entire family. 

As Great As Promised?

The story of this troubled production saved at the last minute (and which allegedly had the best test screenings in Warner history) has seduced a lot of people and made them believe this is the revelation of the year. 

Coyote vs. Acme has good intentions, and for me, that is worth something. It’s entertaining, the humor works, and it’s something you can watch with your kids. Is it better than most of the projects that came out this year? There’s a high chance it is. However, does it deserve masterpiece status? I don’t think so.

I love what the film attempted, but I saw so much wasted potential in the script that I left the theater feeling rather disappointed. 

Because Coyote vs. Acme tried to leave a good, positive message above everything: Never give up; fight for the things you believe in. But like in most movies today, the message has to be communicated through explicit dialogues instead of organically through the plot. 

The film teases that Kevin’s arc will be about recovering his faith in justice and his drive to fight for it from where he is. However, Kevin is never shown making a real effort to build a case. And I know this is made for kids; they don’t care about court drama, they just want Coyote to have another funny moment. But think about it: Kevin has been surviving by handling settlements related to ACME products malfunctioning. He knows every single cartoon character because he has, at one time or another, been their lawyer. He could have built a hell of a case against ACME, had dozens of witnesses, and won the case. If you are making a film about a trial involving cartoon characters, you should take it seriously! Go all in, make me believe it’s real!

Instead, Kevin gives an emotional speech about how wonderful and persevering Coyote is. I love a good emotional moment as much as the next person, but for it to work properly, it needs to be earned. This feels a bit manufactured. And he loses the case. 

After the trial, Kevin and his niece have a conversation in the car about how “they tried” (to make sure the audience understands that, I guess), but they clearly hadn’t!

Critical Reception & Box Office 

Coyote vs. Acme’s production story granted the movie a wave of audience goodwill. In five weeks, the film grossed $100,000,000 worldwide, against a budget of $70,000,000. However, I believe that Ketchup Entertainment (the company that saved the film) paid $50,000,000 for the distribution rights, so the exact amount needed to make the acquisition profitable is unclear to me. It seems to be doing well, all things considered. 

Even though the final product did not meet my expectations, Coyote vs. Acme deserves some credit for taking us out of the dark and depressing corner that is cinema right now, just for a little while. 

Final Verdict: Worth Saving.