From Deseret News archives:

Looney Tunes: Back in Action

Published: Thursday, Nov. 13, 2003 1:30 p.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
"Looney Tunes: Back in Action" goes awry from the minute it steps out of the cartoon world into the real one. In fact, the film only comes close to garnering a few yuks when it returns to its animated realm (in particular, two scenes that spoof classic science-fiction films and fine art).

Those moments are too few and way too far between to save this live-action/animation hybrid, which attempts to recapture the magic of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" — or at least that of "Space Jam." Unfortunately, what it really recalls is "Monkeybone."

Brendan Fraser (who also starred in "Monkeybone") has some aptitude for comedy, but you wouldn't know it from this one. He plays DJ Drake, a wannabe stuntman who finds himself out of work and then finds himself on a treasure hunt with Daffy Duck (voiced by Joe Alaskey), who's been fired from a movie studio.

DJ and the pesky Daffy seek the Blue Monkey Diamond, a legendary jewel, and also want to rescue DJ's movie-star father (Timothy Dalton), who, as it turns out, also happens to be a secret agent. Meanwhile, back at the studio, Daffy's firing has dire repercussions for Kate Houghton (Jenna Elfman), the exec who canned him. She has only the weekend to find Daffy and bring him back. So she enlists Bugs Bunny (Alaskey) to help. At the same time, the evil chairman (Steve Martin) of the Acme Corporation wants the Blue Monkey Diamond for his own nefarious purposes and will stop at nothing to get it.

Story continues below
Though the film is overplotted and overly busy, the one sure-fire thing would seem to be casting Martin, who is always funny. But here, his performance verges on obnoxious. And director Joe Dante's pacing really seems off, and there are some surprisingly mean-spirited and crude moments. What's more, as odd as this sounds, Fraser acts far too cartoony, which is ironic, since he also provides the voice of the Tasmanian Devil. And Elfman looks a little bored.

"Looney Tunes: Back in Action" is rated PG for scenes of slapstick violence (fisticuffs, gunplay, pratfalls and explosive mayhem), crude humor (flatulence gags and mild innuendo) and scattered use of mild profanity. Running time: 90 minutes.


E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Movie Info
Rated PG for mild profanity, vulgarity.

Cast: Brendan Fraser, Jenna Elfman, Steve Martin, Timothy Dalton, and featuring the voices of Joe Alaskey and others
FIND LOCAL MOVIE SHOWTIMES
Image
Warner Bros.

Daffy Duck (voiced by Joe Alaskey) and Brendan Fraser star in the hybrid "Looney Tunes: Back In Action."

previousnext

Latest comments

NBA Sunday

Even though the Cavs were wearing white jerseys during the game against the...

I am a avid Utah fan but cheer for BYU every week they are not playing the U....

Excellent team play and guts! Congrats RSL!!!!

The reason there is no ethics reform is because the foxes are watching the...

I am a BYU fan, but Max Hall just deflated my chest a little. His remarks...

It's funny how not one post is defending the scum bag who threw beer on...

So now that the Utah Government has recieved the nodd from the LDS Church...

Wow, that was not funny at all. Seriously.

I found the last part of the hike a little frightening. Temperatures were...

Cougars honor 1984 champs

How many times do you have to bring this up. You should recognize how many...

Advertisements