Screen Test: Coyote vs Acme

One of the most anticipated releases of the year comes from a familiar character - in a brand new format.
The previously cancelled, but brought back to life by popular demand, Coyote vs Acme, sees the iconic Road Runner antagonist Wile E. Coyote lawyer up in a unique courtroom drama.
Taking the enormous Acme company to task for its consistently malfunctioning gadgets, perpetually spoiling his plans against his feathery archnemesis, in a life-action toon-cinema hybrid approach that hasn't been seen in cinemas since Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021).
The film, produced by Warner Brothers, was completed in 2022 and promptly shelved as a tax write-off, before significant public backlash and petitions shone a light on the true demand for it.
Many distributors put in a bid to take on the release, but no offers accepted until March 2025. Directed by Dave Green (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Earth to Echo) the script concept was first pitched by Guardian's of the Galaxy director James Gunn, who has experience in the cartoon-adaptation space from his cult-classic Scooby-Doo films of the early 2000's.
In its first week, the film made more at the box office than it would had it remained a WB write-off ($30 million), but to truly decide if it was worth it, we sent our best critics, Aidan Knight and Nick Duck, to Peninsula Cinemas to see how well it holds up against the SCREEN TEST...
Aidan Knight: While there is a good selection of titles that blend the classic 'toon' animation with live action footage, some great (Space Jam) and some not (Rocky and Bullwinkle), there has yet to be one that universally appeals to all audiences.
This attempted to bridge that gap, sitting between the overly adult Who Framed Roger Rabbit and more elementary Looney Tunes: Back in Action. The courtroom scenes, while they don't overly drag, would likely prove too boring for younger children, but the film otherwise does quite a good job of this.
Borrowing a substantial amount from Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul (in which a hack-lawyer works 'unwinnable' cases in an unironed suit, also in Albuquerque, New Mexico) draws attention away from the fact that every successful Looney Tunes movie involves the casting of a big-name sports star - Michael Jordan in 1996, and John Cena this time around.
Simultaneously extremely serious and silly, it packs a lot in without rushing anything at in in the robust 103 minutes.
Whether or not you're entertained by the absurd prosecutor aspect of the plot, it's worth a watch simply to enjoy the grabby animation, and to see how many of your favourite characters made the cut - either as an easter egg or recurring cast.
There is significant pay-off, and adding reason to the entire unwarranted existence of a brand such as Acme within universe is only one of the clever plot points brought to the table in this original outing, amidst the expected fan service.
Wile E. Coyote steals the spotlight as an amazingly emotive lead, without ever even speaking, demonstrating his clear influence on classics such as Love Actually.
Nick Duck: 'One must imagine Sisyphus happy.'
Watching a film with an explicitly anti-big corporation message can feel a bit hollow when paying to see it feeds the coffers of the exact kind of company being lambasted, but fortunately (or unfortunately) Coyote vs Acme's compelling history makes it the rare picture whose message mirrors its own existence.
Once destined to never see the light of day for the sake of recouping some cash, the very same movie's release is a perfect example of the 'never stop trying, even when you have no chance' spirit of the story.
Likening Wile E. Coyote's hopeless legal battle to his equally futile attempts to catch the Road Runner makes for a shockingly interesting delve into a character who can't speak outside of his written signs - a fact that is played for laughs in some great gags.
For those who appreciate the Looney Tunes and have been put off by their recent cinematic efforts that seek simply to exploit their brand recognition (I'm looking at you, Space Jam: A New Legacy), Coyote vs Acme provides the perfect tonic.
The jokes are a million a minute and land far more often than they miss, the best of which hit as hard as an anvil on a coyote's head.
For as funny as the film is there's also a surprisingly potent sweetness to its emotional pay-off in the third act. Like many people, I've never thought much about Wile E. Coyote beyond the obvious funniness of his plight, but the way his entire history is recontextualised will give you a new-found admiration for his unbending spirit.
Despite some wonky 3D animation (I miss good old traditional 2D more and more every day) this is as close as any animated-live action hybrid has come to genuine classic territory since Roger Rabbit.
Kids and adults will both get something here and families should definitely check this one out, especially those who have a fondness for the Looney Tunes.
Aidan: ★★★★☆
Nick: ★★★★☆
Coyote vs ACME is rated PG for mild animated violence and light coarse language, and is currently showing at Peninsula Cinemas Warragul.