"Coyote vs. Acme" combines live-action performers with famous cartoon characters in the style of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." The film centers on Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme Corporation after years of its products failing to help him catch the Road Runner. Will Forte plays Kevin Avery, a late-night-TV-ad lawyer who takes the case.
The movie functions as a courtroom comedy while attempting to integrate Road Runner-style chaos into a live-action setting. It is filled with references to "Looney Tunes" and "Merrie Melodies" cartoons and features appearances by characters including Tweety Bird, Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn and Bugs Bunny. The film was scripted by Samy Burch, who previously wrote "May December" and "Late Fame."
However, the movie lacks the anarchic energy of the classic cartoons it references. While the film stages escalating gags, the staging does not match the sustained ferocity of the original Chuck Jones shorts that started in 1949. The live-action portions, including Forte's performance as the lawyer, feel thin and one-dimensional compared to the cartoons' insane spirit. The movie references its source material rather than immersing viewers in it.
"Coyote vs. Acme" was shelved by Warner Bros. Pictures after completion but later became a cause for vintage cartoon fans. Independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment purchased the film from Warner Bros. for $50 million and is releasing it in theaters starting Aug. 28. While the movie deserves release, it plays as a polite look at cartoon madness rather than a true successor to the anarchic originals.
