Coyote vs. Acme: The underdog gets his day in court
R.E.M. said it best: “Everybody hurts, sometimes.” For Wile E. Coyote, it’s not sometimes. It is all the time. All day, every day, for decades—and there is only one party to blame for his endless suffering: Acme.
The long-awaited comedy Coyote vs. Acme finally hit theaters this weekend. Written by the team of Samy Burch (May December), James Gunn (yes, that one), and Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight), and directed by Dave Green (Earth to Echo), the film stars Will Forte, Lana Condor, John Cena, Tone Bell, and P.J. Byrne. Set in modern-day New Mexico, it drops us into a world where cartoons and humans live side by side, reminiscent of Who Framed Roger Rabbit or Looney Tunes: Back in Action. Warner Bros. originally shelved it, but the cast, crew, and creative team pushed back with pure grit and determination to get it on the big screen. Was it worth the fight? Absolutely.
The story follows Wile E. Coyote, who—after decades of failing to catch the Road Runner thanks to defective gadgets—heads to Albuquerque to hire Kevin Avery (Forte), an attorney specializing in cartoon injury lawsuits. Coyote wants to take Acme for everything they have, while Avery just wants a quick settlement. This lands them in court against Avery’s former law school rival and Acme’s lead counsel, Buddy Crane (Cena). But as Avery, Coyote, and Avery’s niece and intern, Paige (Condor), dig into the case, they uncover a conspiracy much larger and darker than faulty anvils and defective TNT.
The biggest hurdle for a film like this is making the interaction between 2D animation and live-action feel seamless. I remember being blown away by Roger Rabbit as a kid, wondering how they pulled it off. I still don't know, and frankly, I don't want to—let me keep the movie magic! Coyote vs. Acme pulls it off beautifully. The cartoon characters feel completely grounded in reality, interacting with physical objects and real actors in ways that feel natural.
The human cast matches that energy. John Cena’s comedic timing is incredible here; he understood the assignment and delivered in spades. His back-and-forth scenes with Foghorn Leghorn—serving as Acme’s CEO—are standout moments, with Cena reacting perfectly to everything the giant rooster dishes out. Even more impressive is Will Forte. As the lead, he carries the emotional weight of the film while acting opposite a silent cartoon who only communicates with a limited number of hand-held signs. They share multiple genuine heart-to-heart conversations throughout the film, and Forte nails every single one.
The movie isn't without flaws. The script stumbles noticeably with exposition, choosing to have characters bluntly announce their traits and motivations rather than showing them. Forte’s character, for instance, is a washed-up lawyer who takes the path of least resistance and always settles. I know this because he literally lists every single one of those traits out loud within his first five minutes on screen. It’s clunky, on-the-nose writing, but the overall charm carries the movie past those rough patches.
Coyote vs. Acme is a flat-out fun, entertaining ride packed with clever sight gags, sharp Looney Tunes callbacks, and great cameos. What surprised me most was how much heart it has. It delivers a genuinely touching message about resilience, friendship, and picking yourself up after failing over and over again. I actually found myself getting emotional over a silent coyote whose life purpose is chasing a bird he will never catch. If that isn't movie magic, I don't know what is.
Grade: B+
Coyote vs. Acme is now playing in theaters everywhere!
