Out this week in Irish cinemas is Coyote vs. Acme, a film that no one thought would see the light of day, and now it’s here. Was it worth the wait?
Starring everyone’s favourite coyote, this latest adventure sees our resident failed genius take the infamous Acme company to court; after all, a good workman blames his tools- that’s the saying, right? After joining forces with failing lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte), Wile E. stumbles upon a much darker secret connected to the apparent failed tools from Acme, one that will rock the world to its core. Many questions will be asked: Can Kevin get justice for Wile E.? What is the dark secret at the centre of all this? And most importantly of all, will Wile E. finally catch the RoadRunner?
Acme? Acyyou!
What makes Coyote vs. Acme such a great film is that it comes from a genuinely compelling concept. Why shouldn’t Wile E. Coyote sue Acme? None of their products have worked for him, and that is over the course of decades of animation adventures with his longtime frenemy the RoadRunner. So when he comes to Kevin Avery hoping for justice, you feel his desperation.
There is a theme of trying and failing in Coyote vs. Acme, and it’s one everybody can understand. Which is surprisingly genuine coming from a story about one of the most despicable villains in Looney Tunes history. There is depth to Wile E., the film does an excellent job showing that he truly is the self-proclaimed genius that he dubbed himself all those years ago. His plans have plans, and they’re demented and visually thrilling.
Coyote vs. Acme is full of so many great elements; the comedy is brilliant, with so many jokes hitting the screen at rapid fire. This does mean not all of them land, but when they do, they are golden. A particular favourite of mine involved the infamous Pepé Le Pew. The score is also amazing; the composers went above and beyond to ensure that the personality of these characters shone through not just in the visuals but in the very sounds of the world.
On the topic of the visuals, this is maybe my biggest issue with the film. The majority of the Looney Tunes are not hand-drawn; instead, a kind of hybrid animation style mixing 3D animation with 2D animation references, dubbed “sketchviz”, was used. I found the style fine, if somewhat lacking in depth at times. The visual gags are still great though, and the interactions between the live-action characters and Looney Tunes are charming.
Coyote vs. Acme is a surprising film, full of humour and heart, but with an undercurrent of depth that brings you in even more to its looney world. This was well worth the wait and is a must-see for fans of these legends.
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