I grew up with Looney Tunes, so Coyote vs. Acme had me before it even got going. There is something wonderfully comforting about seeing Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, Foghorn Leghorn, and so many other familiar faces back on screen, especially when the animation has such an old-school feel. Director Dave Green clearly understands that nostalgia is a major part of the appeal, and rather than trying to reinvent these characters, he lets them be exactly as generations of us remember them.
The premise is clever. After years of being flattened, blown up, dropped off cliffs, and generally abused by faulty Acme products, Wile E. Coyote finally decides to sue the company responsible for his misery. He teams up with down-on-his-luck attorney Kevin Avery, played by Will Forte, while Acme sends its slick, aggressive lawyer Buddy Crane, played by John Cena, to fight back. Lana Condor plays Kevin’s niece Paige, who becomes an important part of the effort, while Luis Guzmán appears as Judge Troppogrosso and Tone Bell plays Sal Maltese.
Forte is very much the typical Forte here, and that works perfectly. He brings that familiar awkward, slightly defeated, yet ultimately likable quality to Kevin. He knows how to play ridiculous situations without making the character feel ridiculous, which is especially important in a movie where his client happens to be an animated coyote. Cena is also having fun as Buddy Crane, giving the corporate side just enough exaggerated menace to fit comfortably into a Looney Tunes world. Condor brings warmth to Paige and gives the human side of the story heart without slowing the comedy.
But for me, the real joy is the animation. Wile E. and Road Runner are, of course, front and center, but Foghorn Leghorn, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety, and others also make appearances. Eric Bauza voices many of those classic characters, and the movie feels lovingly connected to the cartoons I remember rather than like some overly polished modern replacement.
The story is genuinely clever, blending courtroom comedy with the wonderfully absurd physics of Looney Tunes. It is silly, energetic, and very aware of what kind of movie it is. There is enough humor for kids, but there are also plenty of little moments that will land differently for adults who grew up watching these characters get flattened by anvils every Saturday morning. That is really what made Coyote vs. Acme work for me. It is family-friendly, funny, and affectionate toward the characters without treating them like museum pieces. For people of my generation, it is also a lovely trip down memory lane.
I would gladly watch it again. Sometimes you do not need a beloved childhood favorite reinvented. You just want to see Wile E. Coyote chase the Road Runner one more time—and this movie understands that perfectly.