I heard about Coyote Vs ACME at least a year ago. Though, I never went out of my way to watch any trailers for it. So, I went into the movie knowing next to nothing about it. I figured, maybe, ACME was some sort of enemy that was close to what the Road Runner was for Wile E. Coyote. Boy, could I have not been more wrong. A courtroom dramedy was not what I was expecting to watch. What a pleasant surprise this movie turned out to be. There is a great use of slapstick humor (a trademark for Looney Tunes characters), creativity, and even a lot of heart. I did not go into this movie expecting parts of it to be emotional. We see a character in Wile E. Coyote show sides of himself we had never seen before. For a character that does not talk, what this film was able to pull off with Wile E. was nothing short of incredible.
We start out this film with none other than Daffy Duck being experimented on by ACME. He is every bit as wacky as we remember from earlier cartoons. Perhaps even more so. He seemed like he drank at least a dozen cups of coffee. For someone as wacky as Daffy, that is really saying something. It is quite humorous and gives weight to the story. It shows just how dangerous ACME-products can be for cartoons using them. An animated doctor realizes the mistakes that have been made by ACME and runs for dear life so that security can not capture him for knowing too much. He is forced down a black hole.
From there, the movie takes place 30 years after this incident with the doctor, and Wile E. Coyote chases the Road Runner yet again. Wile E. uses metal gloves and rocket boosters from ACME to try to capture the Road Runner. He ends up on a plane. Not exactly what he was aiming for. Coyote goes back to his cave where he sees on television that there is a lawyer (played by Will Forte) who sues big companies for small amounts of money as reparations for injuries. Clearly this movie does not take itself too seriously. This infomercial is exactly the kind of campiness that makes this universe so beloved in the first place. After all, it does take place in our world while also having cartoon characters live among us.
Wile E. has more of a case than anyone, as he has had hundreds of run ins with the dangers of ACME products thanks to his chasing of the Road Runner. At first, Forte’s Kevin Avery wants to settle for only $300 for Coyote’s troubles. Not quite what Wile E. had in mind. They argue back and forth about whether they should take on ACME before deciding what is the best course of action. But what is Wile E. Coyote’s motivation to sue ACME if he is just a cartoon animal who lives in a cave? What could he possibly use hundreds of thousands of dollars for?
The rival lawyer who represents ACME is played by none other than John Cena. He does a terrific job of playing a guy who is not likeable, but very funny at times. It seems like his days as a professional wrestler served him well in his comedic timing in this movie. His chemistry with Forte, whom he has a past with, really gave this film another strength to play off.
I did not expect this movie to go from humorous/satirical to a movie with real heart, showcasing an underdog story in the courtroom. We go from seeing a late-night TV commercial lawyer taking small cases for barely any money, to taking on a Harvard graduate from the top of his class in John Cena’s Buddy Crane. I was left in awe at what the script was able to accomplish. But the surprises do not stop there. While this is a Wile E. Coyote focused movie, there are plenty of other Looney Tunes. While I will not spoil who else pops up, just be ready to see fan favorites. It, thankfully, avoids giving us these characters just for the heck of it. They are there in service of the story.
As we get into the story, we realize that the claims by Wile E. Coyote are not going to be proven unless there was a witness to his troubles. And there is only one person who can confirm all these injuries. Who might this be, you are wondering? None other than the Road Runner. But, after years of being hunted by Wile E. Coyote, does he really care to help him out? That is a mystery that this film thrives on.
If you are looking for a family-friendly movie to take your children to, or if you want to relive the glory days that the Looney Tunes were, look no further. This movie is going to go down as one of the most overlooked films of the year. Sure, in some ways, that is because of the lack of marketing. But it is also going to have a sleeper-hit legacy because it was made with so much heart by the filmmakers behind the scenes. 2026 has been a great year for films. Not just because of heavy hitters like The Odyssey and Project Hail Mary, but also because of films like Coyote Vs Acme.
4 out of 5 stars.
An impressive feat that this movie achieves is how it mixes formerly 2D characters with the real world. They are now in 3D, though the characters do not lose their classical look. I would not be surprised if we saw more projects like this in the future. Even if this movie struggles to make back its nearly $70 million dollar budget, one thing is abundantly clear: this was a passion project that brought the Looney Tunes characters onto the screen in the modern day for our current generation of kids to enjoy. This film had humor, heart, creativity, and a whole lot of Looney Tunes cameos.
