The key to liking this movie is to see it not expecting a real movie. Looney Tunes: Back In Action is a wacky, plot less comedy revolving around the perfectly loony exploits of Bugs Bunny and the world's favorite fowl, Daffy Duck. Nothing more.
Well, maybe SOMETHING more. The plot isn't so bad as all that. Like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, the cartoon characters are real actors and co-exist with us mortals (actually, Daffy and Wile E. Coyote might be a little TOO mortal). Daffy is constantly trying to star in his own movie instead of playing second banana to the rabbit, but since Daffy isn't very popular (he's got my vote!) he's fired by vice-president of comedy Kate Houghton. When Kate orders security guard-cum-aspiring stuntman DJ Drake to eject the duck, he inevitably has a hard time of it, eventually catching the duck but also wrecking the trademark Warner Bros. water tower at the same time. Both are fired. Daffy goes home with DJ to discover that his father is a famous actor who a plays a spy as a cover for being a spy.
Meanwhile, the studio decides they want Daffy back. However, Daffy is accompanying DJ in the search for his father, who has been captured by the evil head of the ACME Corporation. DJ's dad was trying to save the world by finding the magical Blue Monkey Diamond. So now, DJ knows about the diamond, and ACME must stop him. Kate and Bugs finally catch up with Daffy and so get caught up in the big world-saving mission.
Not too realistic, huh? Well, it's not supposed to be. Back In Action isn't slowed down by any sub themes or complicated plot twists. There are twists, but they are distinctly cartoony. The humor is very like the original Looney Tunes of over half a century ago, spoofing everything of the era that is famous. One of the most memorable is Bugs Bunny's recreation, shot-by-shot, of the shower scene from Psycho. Which brings us to the other side of the lunacy. Try explaining THAT scene to a five-year-old. I'm only 12, anyway, but I know Hitchcock. Who doesn't? The movie as a whole aims for just plain, sidesplitting, cacophonies laughter from the audience. And that's what it gets.
The animation! Well, probably the best hand animation of the last few years, especially in the opening, when Daffy is reading his next script. Since they're shooting a cartoon, the scene isn't burdened by complicated lighting effects and other stuff. It's animated like a true Looney Tune of the '50s, besides smoother motion, which is only an improvement. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the rest of the movie, which is sometimes CG, like a scene of Bugs in the spy-car. But anyway, it's very good, so credit to Eric Golberg (is he Bill Golberg's brother? Boy, what a contrast - wrestler and animator).
The DVD is packed with discarded footage, zanier than the scenes that made the cut. For all you people looking for a serious, thoughtful movie, DANGER: KEEP OFF. For all you Looney Tunes-lovers, looking for an extended short subject, packed with laughs and spoofs of one and all, you must watch this.
8.5/10
Well, maybe SOMETHING more. The plot isn't so bad as all that. Like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, the cartoon characters are real actors and co-exist with us mortals (actually, Daffy and Wile E. Coyote might be a little TOO mortal). Daffy is constantly trying to star in his own movie instead of playing second banana to the rabbit, but since Daffy isn't very popular (he's got my vote!) he's fired by vice-president of comedy Kate Houghton. When Kate orders security guard-cum-aspiring stuntman DJ Drake to eject the duck, he inevitably has a hard time of it, eventually catching the duck but also wrecking the trademark Warner Bros. water tower at the same time. Both are fired. Daffy goes home with DJ to discover that his father is a famous actor who a plays a spy as a cover for being a spy.
Meanwhile, the studio decides they want Daffy back. However, Daffy is accompanying DJ in the search for his father, who has been captured by the evil head of the ACME Corporation. DJ's dad was trying to save the world by finding the magical Blue Monkey Diamond. So now, DJ knows about the diamond, and ACME must stop him. Kate and Bugs finally catch up with Daffy and so get caught up in the big world-saving mission.
Not too realistic, huh? Well, it's not supposed to be. Back In Action isn't slowed down by any sub themes or complicated plot twists. There are twists, but they are distinctly cartoony. The humor is very like the original Looney Tunes of over half a century ago, spoofing everything of the era that is famous. One of the most memorable is Bugs Bunny's recreation, shot-by-shot, of the shower scene from Psycho. Which brings us to the other side of the lunacy. Try explaining THAT scene to a five-year-old. I'm only 12, anyway, but I know Hitchcock. Who doesn't? The movie as a whole aims for just plain, sidesplitting, cacophonies laughter from the audience. And that's what it gets.
The animation! Well, probably the best hand animation of the last few years, especially in the opening, when Daffy is reading his next script. Since they're shooting a cartoon, the scene isn't burdened by complicated lighting effects and other stuff. It's animated like a true Looney Tune of the '50s, besides smoother motion, which is only an improvement. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the rest of the movie, which is sometimes CG, like a scene of Bugs in the spy-car. But anyway, it's very good, so credit to Eric Golberg (is he Bill Golberg's brother? Boy, what a contrast - wrestler and animator).
The DVD is packed with discarded footage, zanier than the scenes that made the cut. For all you people looking for a serious, thoughtful movie, DANGER: KEEP OFF. For all you Looney Tunes-lovers, looking for an extended short subject, packed with laughs and spoofs of one and all, you must watch this.
8.5/10