Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Great messages in chaotic, hilarious, touching 'toon mashup.
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Coyote vs. Acme
What's the Story?
In COYOTE VS. ACME, Wile E. Coyote is trying—once again—to catch the Road Runner using Acme products, which (of course) continue to backfire. Then he sees an ad for lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte), of the firm Avery, Jones & Maltese, who promises to help those who feel victimized. So Coyote makes his way to Albuquerque to meet Avery, only to discover that he's actually a small-time lawyer who's primarily interested in small settlements. The Coyote's huge mound of evidence, consisting of literal tons of faulty Acme products, earns him a settlement of $50,000, which seems huge to Kevin, but the Coyote turns it down, demanding to go to court. There, Kevin will have to face his old law school nemesis, Buddy Crane (John Cena), who's now a slick high-priced lawyer for Acme. Will Kevin and his team—which includes his plucky niece, Paige (Lana Condor)—be able to hold Acme accountable for both the Coyote's pain and suffering and whatever else they've been covering up?
Is It Any Good?
Infamously shelved by Warner Bros. before being rescued by Ketchup Entertainment, this Looney Tunes animation/live action mashup is ingenious, hilarious, wildly entertaining, and downright lovable. Coyote vs. Acme is easily the best hybrid of its kind since Who Framed Roger Rabbit (sorry, Space Jam and Looney Tunes: Back in Action ), capturing that movie's goofball, anarchic spirit so well that it almost could have been a sequel. It's crazy to think that the movie centers on a pair of characters who don't talk (the original idea came from a funny 1990 essay published in The New Yorker), but the filmmakers run with it. Coyote and Road Runner use their traditional signs to "speak," and there's plenty of hilarious miming, plus the Road Runner has a memorable scene in which he answers questions with "Beep Beep for Yes and Beep for No."
In the human cast, Forte is at his best as a lawyer who decided years ago to give up and take the easy road but eventually finds inspiration in the Coyote's refusal to stop chasing his own dreams. It's a great message, as are the movie's fearless anti-corporate and anti-animal-testing themes. Cena is very funny as the villainous lawyer; he shares quite a it of screen time with Foghorn Leghorn (voiced, as are many of the animated characters, by Eric Bauza), who here works for Acme and is also a villain. Condor rounds things out as the forward-thinking Paige, with Tone Bell and Martha Kelly playing the other members of Avery's sad but funny little firm, whose name, Avery, Jones & Maltese, is a tribute to some of the original Looney Tunes creators (there are lots of fun Easter Eggs like that to be found here). Overall, it's perhaps not terribly surprising that Coyote vs. Acme is so sidesplitting and clever, so technically and visually amazing, or so zippy and delightfully chaotic—but what is surprising is how touching it is with its unexpectedly sweet friendships.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Coyote vs. Acme's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Funny? How does the fact that most of it is cartoonish affect its impact?
How does the Coyote demonstrate perseverance? Why is that an important character strength? What does Kevin learn about persevering over the course of the movie?
What is the movie's take on powerful corporations? Why is it important to question companies and other powerful institutions rather than automatically trusting them?
How do Avery, Paige, and the Coyote help one another? What does the movie suggest about the value of friendship, teamwork, and having people who believe in you?
Have you ever kept trying at something after other people thought you should give up? What can this movie teach viewers about having dreams and goals while also maintaining perspective?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 28, 2026
- Cast : Will Forte , Lana Condor , John Cena
- Director : Dave Green
- Studio : Warner Bros. Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Friendship
- Character Strengths : Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 103 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : cartoon violence and some language
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : August 22, 2026
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