A clever homage
Wile E. Coyote, Genius, wants nothing more than to catch that Road Runner.
Ketchup Entertainment
Looney Tunes fans will delight in the many cartoon cameos and clever references to the franchise’s storied history, right down to the names of the main human characters. Kevin Avery is named in honor of animator Tex Avery; Sal Maltese, after screenwriter Michael Maltese; and Dottie Jones after animator Chuck Jones, who co-created Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. But there is heart as well as humor in the film, and an inspiring message: Wile E. is very much the plucky underdog, picking himself up after every failure and trying again, and again, and again. It’s that dogged perseverance that gives the chase meaning, even if he’s doomed to never succeed in his quest.
Apparently, director Dave Green (Earth to Echo) had a life-size Wile E. Coyote puppet made so the actors had something to perform alongside and shot most of the scenes twice: once carefully choreographed, followed by another more spontaneous take. The effort paid off, as the human and animated performers blend seamlessly. (One sly moment involves Judge Troppogrosso, played by Luis Guzman, choosing a cartoon gavel over a real one since it was a “toon case.”) Green also opted to blend 3D and traditional 2D animation—reserving the former for shots where he needed better control over lighting and shadow—so it even looks like a classic Looney Tunes cartoon.
