Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)

Every year we take the family out to a movie on the day after Thanksgiving. Usually Disney has some offering that the whole family can enjoy. This year the offerings of Cat in the Hat and Brother Bear we not on anyone’s list. The kids were interested in seeing Looney Tunes but alas it was not playing anymore at the local theater in Palestine where we gathered for Thanksgiving. So we gave up.

Once back in town, we found a theater that was playing it and took just our kids. I resisted going to this movie. Memories of Rocky and Bullwinkie and Space Jam still fresh in my mind.

Boy was I pleasantly surprised. This movie had a plot for the adults and enough slapstick for the kids. This movie really caught the essence of the humor in the old Looney Tunes, brought it up to date, and did so without vulgarity and innuendo of other movies. The movie even makes fun of its own P.C. values. Bugs Bunny is told that a Cross-Dressing rabbit is a little bit creepy now-a-days.

Brendan Frasier is funny – he makes fun of himself without getting into his George of the Jungle act. Many other cameos are to be seen like Heather Locklear, Timothy Dalton, Joan Cusack, Robert Picardo (Voyager Doctor) and Ron Pearman (Beauty and the Beast).

Jenna Elfman (Darma & Greg) did ok in the lead female role. She kind of creaps me out because she looks and sounds like Jamie Lee Curtis.

Steve Martin plays the main bad guy in a very over-the-top (The Jerk) fashion that works. He’s the head of Acme Corporation. At his disposal are a cast of baddies from every B Sci-Fi movie you can think of – think Roger Corman and The Brain that Wouldn’t Die. Robbie the Robot even shows up.
I recommend this movie, at least as a matinee to any adult who grew up in front of Bugs and Daffy — especially if you are a Marvin the Martian fan.