Coyote vs. Acme Review
I’ve followed Coyote vs. Acme ever since Warner Bros. shelved it, along with a handful of other projects for a tax write-off. Some would have said it was a tumultuous time for the industry, given the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes and a transition in leadership at the company. However, the fact that this film, which is centered around Warner Bros.’ most iconic cartoon characters, was pulled made many, including myself, disappointed. What wasn’t expected was the mass social campaign to release Coyote vs. Acme, with “#ReleaseCoyoteVsAcme” trending countless times. Now, after three years since it was shelved, we finally get to see the fruits of director Dave Green’s labors as well as the effort of thousands of supporters. Fortunately, Coyote vs. Acme very much lives up to the hype.
Coyote vs. Acme sees the infamous Wile E. Coyote coming up with his biggest plan yet after a series of failures: suing Acme for their failed products. Taking charge, he goes to Kevin (Will Forte), a downbeat lawyer who’s always given up, in order to change his life. Although Kevin doesn’t like the odds, his intern and niece, Paige (Lana Condor), tries to nudge him in the right direction. In the meanwhile, Kevin’s rival, Buddy Crane (John Cena), is preparing to take Kevin’s firm down by any means necessary. As Kevin and Coyote gradually develop a friendship, they’ll have to overcome some big obstacles to win this case.
From the get-go, you get a pretty good sense of how fitting the outlandish comedy of Coyote vs. Acme goes. Its opening sequence, which sees Coyote trying different inventions like a magnetic glove to those dastardly rocket boots, easily sets the level of absurdity needed. There’s certainly a range of cartoonish comedy that’s also established, whether that be reoccurring jokes, like Coyote’s signs popping up, to large pieces, like Coyote making some huge Rube Goldberg machines for Kevin. However, the snarky back-and-forths that involve the human characters also lend themselves to adding a more charming element. Some of this is seen through Paige and Buddy’s assistant Bill (P. J. Byrne) as they both have some funny bits that have hilarious results. Plus, the many characters voiced by Eric Bauza, Candi Milo, Kenneth Choi, and Jim Cummings happily add onto the fun.
The mystery element of Coyote vs. Acme feels slightly reminiscent of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, albeit with a tighter thematic tie-in. The flow of Green’s mystery brings this trio to the doors (or holes) of major Looney Toons players like Granny, Daffy Duck, and Bugs Bunny. It hits some familiar plot beats, like the discoveries of cryptic messages to inserting a mysterious whistleblower, but Green and writer Samy Burch play up the cartoony stakes. The mystery revolves around this “Project Sisyphus”, whose derived name serves as a reflection of the repetitive hijinks that Coyote has faced for years on end.
The way that Green and Burch actually tie this in feels layered, both in and outside of this franchise, as some might say the Sisyphean ideas of Acme are infused into the heat Kevin and Buddy have. The fact that both these characters emphasize their respective beliefs in “trying and failing” throughout nail in that universal thematic importance. It very much reflects this film’s own limbo state in the early 2020s, where it faced obstacle after obstacle to finally come out on top. The intricacies of its development certainly show how experimental the higher corporate hand was willing to be to get something of substance, which also seems to be reflected in what’s actually done in Project Sisyphus. I could go on to describe how Acme, and Foghorn Leghorn’s role in Coyote vs. Acme is representative of a certain CEO, but viewers may already know where this leads to.
The heart of Coyote vs. Acme lies within this unusually sweet friendship between Kevin and Coyote. You get a sense that these two might be “buddy-buddy” by the time the second act comes around, but Green doubles down on making their traits a hindrance to each other. Kevin and Coyote are two sides of the same coin: whereas Coyote is driven by his own primal loony urges, Kevin is the result of finally putting those old desires to rest. Whenever these two are together, the way that Kevin tries to placate Coyote’s desperation with his realist mindset does a solid job in making you hope their bond will improve. With all the chaos at the start, it’s hard to see that, but one later scene that sees the two have this bizarre heart-to-heart near a canyon cliff really permeates their appreciation for each others’ help.
Green and Burch certainly know how to utilize that heightened tension and those stakes to create a meaningful climax. Coyote and Kevin’s case goes so far as to reach Congress’ eyes, making you have some optimism they’ll win. That said, how Green and Burch play out this conclusive third act will play with your emotions. Within the entirety of this film, this entire sequence is a rollercoaster of its own, taking one’s hopes and twisting it all over the place. In consideration of huge spoilers, I’ll leave you with this: Green and Burch absolutely smashed it. It’s only a shame that this film may not have the biggest release it could have, but much like its theme, it’s about the personal wins.
Coyote vs. Acme is wonderfully endearing, hilariously witty, and perfectly Looney in every way, proudly living up to Dave Green and Samy Burch’s promises. This film confidently presented their case on why Warner Bros. shouldn’t have shelved this film to begin with through this heartfelt examination of the iconic Looney Tunes to life. Now, I can only wish that the remaining projects that were shelved, like Scoob! Holiday Haunt, could find a place like Ketchup Entertainment.
Rating: ★★★★
Coyote vs. Acme releases in theaters on August 28.
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.