Coyote vs. Acme is an excellent film. It’s funny, it’s clever and it features cartoon characters we’ve known and loved for decades. And it features some fine work from all the humans involved as well.

Melding cartoon characters onscreen with live action people has not always been done well but in Coyote vs. Acme, the toons and the actors share the same world seamlessly. 

However… seeing and enjoying this great new movie leads to the question: why did Warner Brothers bury it? Oh, supposedly it was an accounting thing. Corporations do it all the time. But, typically, if a company takes a “write down,” it’s for a product or service that has not done well in the marketplace. This movie never even got a chance. Only via the efforts of many individuals has Coyote vs. Acme seen the light of day.

You’ve seen the Roadrunner cartoons. Back in the day they ran just before feature film screenings. Wile E. Coyote fails time and time again in his efforts to nab the speedy Roadrunner. He employs numerous devices from Acme corporation. Often, his failures are due to Coyote’s own missteps but frequently they are the results of flawed products from Acme. Coyote generally suffers severe physical damage.

In Coyote vs. Acme, the frustrated Coyote hires small time Albuquerque attorney Kevin Avery (Will Forte), one of those lawyers whose face is on billboards and TV ads, to seek damages from Acme corporation. Avery’s assistant Paige (Lana Condor) helps keep him on the right track. Acme’s lawyer the arrogant Buddy Crane (John Cena) is condescending in his treatment of Avery, an old law school classmate.

Things go badly for Coyote in the courtroom until a surprise witness shows up in the final act. 

Among the highlights of Coyote vs. Acme are the appearances of numerous Warner Brothers cartoon characters: Daffy, Porky, Bugs, Tweety, Elmer. Plus a personal favorite, Foghorn Leghorn, who is on Acme’s side in this face-off. Also, there’s an animated version of movie great Peter Lorre, a toon who’s been hidden away by Acme for decades.

The whole wacky tale comes from a short story in the New Yorker magazine in 1990 by Ian Frazier. The movie’s script is by Samy Burch and the director is Dave Green. Eric Bauza is the new Mel Blanc. Bauza voices Bugs, Daffy, Elmer, Porky, Tweety and Foghorn Leghorn.

Coyote vs. Acme is a true delight! Fun for all ages. Rated PG.