A story set in the ACME warehouse, the manufacturer of anything and everything used by the Looney Tunes characters.

‘Coyote vs. Acme’ arrives in cinemas after one of the more unusual journeys to the big screen in recent years. Completed a few years ago, Warner Bros. initially decided to shelve the film as a tax write-off, before a substantial backlash eventually led to the studio allowing it to be sold elsewhere. Thankfully it was rescued, because what has emerged is a really fun modern take on the Looney Tunes that deserved considerably better than gathering dust in a studio vault. Beyond the film itself, its eventual release also shines a light on the dubious practice of studios shelving films for financial reasons, with projects such as ‘Batgirl’ disappearing without ever being seen by the public.

The premise is based on a satirical article originally published in ‘The New Yorker’ in 1990, in which Wile E. Coyote finally decides that after years of being blown up, flattened and generally maimed by faulty Acme products, enough is enough. He enlists Kevin Avery (Will Forte), a billboard lawyer, to sue the Acme Corporation for repeatedly selling him products that have failed spectacularly in his attempts to catch the Road Runner. Forte is pretty much perfect casting for the role, playing the kind of hapless, slightly downtrodden character he does so well, and he commits completely to the absurdity of finding himself representing a cartoon coyote in court.

The film does a good job of bringing the Looney Tunes into a modern live action setting without losing what made the original cartoons so much fun. The blend of animation and live action works really well, particularly when the film embraces the cartoon physics and elaborate slapstick that come with Wile E. Coyote, while there are plenty of cameos and Easter eggs involving other familiar characters. John Cena also has fun as Buddy Crane, the lawyer representing Acme, and everyone involved wisely plays the central premise straight rather than constantly winking at how silly it is.

‘Coyote vs. Acme’ is an enjoyable family comedy with plenty here to like, not only for younger audiences but also for those who grew up watching the Looney Tunes. It doesn’t reinvent these characters, but it finds a fun way of bringing them into a modern setting while retaining much of their original charm. After everything that happened behind the scenes, I’m glad it was rescued from the studio void.

Rating: 3/5

Directed By: Dave Green

Starring: Will Forte, Lana Condor, Tone Bell, Luis Guzmán, Martha Kelly, P.J. Byrne, Kenneth Choi, Eric Bauza and John Cena

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1756855/