MIFF 2026 - Coyote vs Acme Review: The Looney Legal Comedy That Warner Bros. Don’t Want You To See

Images courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment.

After three years in legal limbo after being written off for tax purposes by Warner Brothers, Coyote Vs Acme is finally being released to the masses, and it’s worth the wait.

The film follows the long suffering Wile E. Coyote (Carnivorous Vulgaris) in his quest to catch the elusive Roadrunner (Acceleratii Incredibus) with an elaborate series of ACME branded traps. Having had enough after 80-or-so years of failure, he seeks legal counsel from small claims lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte) to sue the ACME megacorporation for his grievances, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit-esque hijinks that blend live action and animation ensue. 

The narrative choice to reshape Wile E. Coyote from a scheming antagonist into a victim of the corporate machine works well, and balancing this choice with  constant jokes and gags really elevates the film. In a similar spirit to its Looney ancestors, the film is incredibly funny. The overarching narrative unfortunately lacks depth, unsubtly repeating its government cover-up plot points to the audience in ways that are unoriginal and uninteresting, leaving them waiting for the next funny gag instead of being potentially invested in the plot.

The film starts strong with a very funny and masterfully paced first act, and maintains this until the end of the second act, where it prioritises drawing out the explanation of its conspiracy plot over being interesting. The concept of a Looney Tunes legal dramedy is comedy gold, but it feels like it’s playing second fiddle to a whole other plotline that draws attention away from it.
While it may find itself being bogged down with over-explanation and conspiracy, the uncanny similarity between the film’s characters fighting against a huge corporation and the film’s cast and crew struggling to get the film released from Warner Brothers gives it a surprisingly profound and heartfelt conclusion, especially for a kids movie.

The cast is fantastic across the board, with Forte working as an amazing foil to the non-verbal Wile E. Coyote. Eric Bauza is great as the voice of almost all of the Looney Tunes, perfectly channelling the presence of Mel Blanc without feeling too derivative. John Cena is surprisingly underwhelming in his role as a big-shot macho lawyer, and while his performance is perfectly serviceable, it felt pretty cookie-cutter, and it didn’t quite reach the heights of his previous comedic roles.

Unlike its spiritual predecessor Who Framed Roger Rabbit, this movie uses cell shaded 3D models for cartoon characters instead of hand drawn animation. While this significantly saves on budget and looks just fine, there are a few moments where they can look uncanny from certain perspectives or in certain lighting, as well as lacking some of Roger Rabbit’s charm. 

While not the perfect movie, Coyote Vs Acme is a testament to the ability of filmmakers and everyday people to fight against corporate tyranny. And also, a funny slapstick movie.

Coyote Vs Acme screened as part of the 74th Melbourne International Film Festival, and opens in cinemas September 17th. For tickets and more info, click here.

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