by Nick Ferro, Editor
Disclaimer: The following review contains no mention regarding the idiocy of the decision makers at Warner Brothers or a description of how they are absolutely short sighted, artistically devoid, talentless bottom feeders, shamelessly preventing the distribution of art solely to save a buck, and not caring who is harmed in the process while simultaneously attempting to rob the general audience of something worth seeing, enjoying, and eventually owning on Blu-ray.
This review in no way will address how the movie industry is being ruined by number crunchers and shareholders who treat the creation of art as numbers on a spreadsheet only made to satisfy the Q3 dividends of fiscal 2026 and how stupid they all are for slowly causing the downfall of creativity in the industry.
We apologize in advance if you were hoping we would spend the bulk of this review taking shot after shot at the colossal stupidity of a studio head for not only trying to shelve a great movie for tax write off purposes but also, in light of the messaging of the movie, was unable to see the irony of his or her actions.
Thank you for your patience in this matter and please enjoy this review.
– Siftpop
I grew up watching the Looney Tunes. While they were never my absolute favorite, there was a time, thanks to Cartoon Network’s coverage and Spielberg’s 90s animation productions, when I was obsessed with them. From the irreverent humor to the creativity of the bits, I was enthralled. My favorite among these cartoons was always Wile E. Coyote vs The Road Runner. One of my favorite past times was watching the episodes and trying to guess how the ACME products would explode in Wile E.’s face. There may have been an element of repetition to the proceedings, but they always had a slightly different take from ACME product to ACME product which lead to some excellent surprises and constant humor. Plus, there was just something inherently looney (pun intended) about this coyote getting his comeuppance that tickled me in just the right way.
Additionally, I have been a long-time fan of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The technical prowess that went into creating that film in the late 80s is still to this day one of the reasons I am in love with the movies and behind the scenes featurettes and documentaries. Although there have been many live action/cartoon hybrid films over the years there have not been very many that have captured the essence of Roger Rabbit, to my satisfaction. What really holds Roger Rabbit in such high esteem is how the world it creates feels real and lived in, with toons and humans co-existing together. It never needed to comment on toons being in the real world to make a joke or to remind the audience that they need to just accept the premise. The world is just this way and Coyote vs. Acme is the same way.
In Coyote vs. Acme Wile E. Coyote has been trying to use ACME products for thirty years to capture the Road Runner to no avail. After a mishap with a pair of defective rocket-skates, he goes back to the drawing board for a new plan to catch Road Runner. That’s when he sees a commercial for a low rent ambulance chasing law firm. This gives Wile E. the inspiration to develop a new plan that involves seeking legal action against the Acme Corporation for all his pain and suffering, over the years. He heads to Albuquerque where he hires Kevin Avery (Will Forte), a lazy, bottom feeding lawyer, who only has interest in easy to win settlements that don’t require him to try very hard or risk losing. Thinking he is filing a $300 claim with the ACME Corporation for the rocket-skates, Wile E. tricks him into filing a claim for every defective product, from the last thirty years, worth millions. This kicks off a trial of epic proportions which turns up more evidence than either could have possibly imagined. Not only do they bite off more than they can chew against a major corporation, but they also discover a shady conspiracy that might bring down ACME for good, if only someone other than Kevin was in charge.
Right off the bat what struck me about Coyote vs. Acme is the humor. I am always a little hesitant going into these types of movies because the comedy is typically hit or miss. So, I was very excited to get an early boost in value from the laughs it got out of me. If you are a long-time fan of the Looney Tunes I believe you will be right there with me, as it is very clear the people behind the scenes were fans too. There are a ton of inside jokes and easter eggs that gave me a couple extra chuckles but not understanding them shouldn’t dimmish the experience to anyone not as “in the know.” The Looney Tunes humor was front and center from classic slapstick bits to clever word play, to background jokes that if you blink you’ll miss them. I can’t wait to get this movie on Blu-ray just so I have the ability to pause it and read all the little background sign-gags. I was most reminded of 2025’s The Naked Gun while watching Coyote vs. Acme because of how similar the experience was for me. While not as funny or having nearly as many laughs in rapid succession, it was more the style of humor and the goofiness that I loved. I felt like they were taking the classic Looney Tunes style and giving it a fresh coat of paint to successfully bring it to modern audiences.
What’s more is that this movie isn’t just jokes and gags that fill up a 90-minute window to entertain the kids. It has an actual story, with fleshed out characters, and a pretty entertaining mystery that not only had me intrigued, but also a little surprised by the end. I said this about Spider-Man: Brand New Day a few weeks ago, and it is also true of Coyote vs. Acme: This movie felt like a real movie. It was filmed dynamically and real sets or locations (despite the use of the occasional green screen), the screenplay was thought out and full of clever dialogue, both of our lead characters went on a journey of self-discovery and learned something by the end, and I was even touched at a certain point when Wile E. came to his own big realization. All the while providing classic Looney Tunes shenanigans like physics that only work because “it’s funny” and toon and human alike being made a fool by trying to catch a roadrunner.
I think my favorite part of the movie is how there is a plan within the plan that Wile E. is trying to hatch. Wile E. Coyote is technically a villain, despite how lovably misguided he is, and the movie never shies away from that core characteristic. On the surface it’s the story of a toon who never gives up showing a man who doesn’t want to try why trying is worth all the pain and suffering. But in the end, this movie is just a more elaborate Wile E. Coyote vs. Road Runner adventure. There is something so charming and enjoyable, to me, when a movie can have that extra layer of creativity. I also really enjoyed how this movie allowed the human actors to take a backseat. In other attempts like Back in Action or Space Jam there is a feeling that the humans are the leads and even the side characters get way too much attention. But in Coyote vs. Acme, the human characters serve their purposes very well. John Cena as Buddy Crane, Acme’s head lawyer and former classmate of Kevin, is a perfect foil for Forte to play against. I’d also call out Lana Condor’s character Paige as being the necessary voice of optimism in the movie, but everyone else plays their minor roles as just that, minor. They get to be witty and joke but there aren’t big scenes where they overshadow our leads.
I only had two major complaints while watching the movie and these are so minute, I feel like a typical internet pedant for even bringing them up. But I hate how they kept calling them “cartoons” rather than “toons” as they did in Roger Rabbit. I don’t know why it bothered me so much, but every time I heard it, I felt like it was a slur. The other thing I took issue with was the use of Bugs Bunny. For the most part, I enjoyed all of the cameos made by other toons in the movie. Daffy, Granny, Taz, and Tweety all have their moments and important roles for a given scene or two depending on the story’s needs. There are even other smaller cameos that were more akin to background work. But with Bugs there was something off about his inclusion that felt off. While I like his character’s purpose and feel it is a great way to include him, when he does show up it was the one scene out of place. His behavior and antics stopped the film dead in a way that said, “we have to give Bugs more to do otherwise the audience will get upset that we wasted him.” I wish they had found a more natural way to show off what makes Bugs such a beloved character.
Overall, I can’t recommend Coyote vs. Acme enough and beg that you please go see it while it is in theaters. I think this will play very well in an auditorium full of people enjoying it as a group. If nothing else, please go see this movie to show Hollywood that when they support artists making art that it will pay off for them in the end. I never want to hear about another movie being completed and then shelved for tax write-off purposes. Be Wile E. Coyote and stick it to the big corporation trying to take advantage of the little guy to pad their own pockets. Put on your best rocket-skates and head out this weekend to your local theater to see for yourself if that coyote finally catches that road runner. I had a great time and that’s all I wanted folks!
Rating: High Side of Like It
Coyote vs. Acme is currently playing in theaters.
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