That aspect was not a part of the original film and I found that to be a very nice addition. I also really enjoyed the portion of the film where Lebron became a cartoon character with the rest of the Looney Tunes.
His over-the-top and campy performance made me smile and he's in a lot more of the movie than I expected. Rhythm completely held the movie together for me. At least all their famous movies are good and have memorable characters, right?Īs far as the positives go, Don Cheadle as Al G. The final act of the film goes on way too long and it just felt like a massive commercial for Warner Bros. For that, this film is not that engaging and the screenplay is very, very standard as well. It's really just a story of a father winning the love back from his son.
Other than some incredibly impressive visuals and a fun soundtrack, there really isn't much substance here. Bugs then helps Lebron assemble the rest of the "Tune Squad" and the second half of the movie is basically the basketball game. Rhythm, who runs the so-called "server-verse" and has challenged Lebron to a basketball game in exchange for his freedom, comes across Bugs Bunny. Being sent to the land of Looney Tunes by Al G. This is where all the worlds from the movies Warner Bros. lot, Lebron and his son are sucked into what the film calls the "server-verse". After stumbling across a room on the Warner Bros. Lebron James is having issues connecting with his son Dom and has nothing in mind for him but that he wants to make him a basketball star just like himself. Here's why, unless you're showing it to your kids, it's really not that special.
Well, Space Jam: A New Legacy definitely had its moments, but it's ultimately just the same concept all over again. With the technology today, this concept could be big and fun. When I heard they would be making a very loose sequel and Lebron James wasn't going to be filling the shoes that Michael Jordan left, I was intrigued. The nostalgia of the 90s is all over it and that's what makes it entertaining to this day, but I still don't think it's great. I find it to be mildly enjoyable, but it wasn't a film I ever latched onto. I'll be honest right off the bat and say that I've only seen the original Space Jam a total of two times. Space Jam: A New Legacy is good enough, it's visually engaging (classic 2D animation is great and the 3D is up to industry standards), the story is a serviceable family themed narrative and it's at least interesting to see the Loony Tunes cast trounce around in the world of WB owned IPs. I think the only huge missed opportunity of the project was not making Bill Murray the main antagonist (Al-G Rhythm), that would've been golden. I would even argue they play a bigger role than the original where Roadrunner didn't even get screen time on the court. Bugs and friends are constantly asserting their personality and putting their own whacky or zany context on other IPs. I don't know if drowning the audience in referential humor and cameos was the way to go but I guess you can argue WB literally is the only company that has the right to do it, so why not?Ī lot of reviewers argue it diminishes and pushes back the Loony Tunes cast but if you actually watch the film it's pretty obvious they don't. However it's also disturbingly obsessed with flaunting WB's many owned IP's. The plot is structured around classic familial themes and leans heavily on a "video game" premise to cater to the smart-phone generation. The bar was set so low from it's predecessor that I came into this film quite unenthusiastically.Īptly named "A New Legacy" this film is clearly a G rated product intended for parents to take their children to see.