With charm and uniqueness, “Coyote vs. Acme” serves as a brilliant children’s film with more than enough under the surface to provide an engaging watch for the older audience beyond simple cartoon nostalgia.
The heart of the film follows a classic underdog story of finding purpose and connection through the eyes of a lawyer and a client. It accomplishes this in a way that will force a viewer into an earnest grin during its heartfelt moments.
Despite hopeless odds and countless defeats, the film expresses that fortune will favor perseverance – that it is never too late to accomplish something in life.
However, this is not enough to hold an adult audience alone. Like many animated films before, it tackles something deeper looking at Acme, a big, overbearing corporation that serves as an exaggerated stand-in for anything from Google to Tesla.
Of course, it does not tackle this with depth, nor should it. Small lines alluding to lobbying, and the overarching plot elements of unethical research practices and corruption provide enough for the audience to fill in the social commentary itself.
It has a 94% rating with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes and has a status as a spiritual successor to “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” However, “Coyote vs. Acme” is not without its flaws.
Most glaringly, the basic cel-shaded animation style is both uninspired and doesn’t mesh well with the real world. Despite this, what the animators have done with this style is excellent, providing a masterclass in slapstick comedy, small background gags and clever use of the mixed-media format.
Its slapstick feels original yet true to form a wave of mediocre attempts at nostalgia like last year’s reboot of “The Naked Gun.” Beyond that, there are small blink-and-you’ll-miss-it comedic details in near every scene and genuinely well-constructed jokes.
The chemistry between all the characters, both live action and animated, is truly charming. Each interaction between head lawyer Kevin Avery, played by Will Forte, and Coyote or the cartoonishly evil Acme lawyer Buddy Crane, played by John Cena, is fun while being able to hold moments of development and conflict without compromising the core charm of the film.
“Coyote vs. Acme” does not stand as a mixed-media masterpiece like its spiritual predecessor “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” nor does it tackle social commentary as well as “Princess Mononoke.” However, it is a strong heartfelt film that remains fun and interesting regardless of generation. Not an instant classic, but it is certainly a highlight of the year.
