Looney Tunes: Back In Action Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Real life has never been so animated
How do they solve a mystery when they don't have a clue?
The biggest animated adventure ever to hit real life
Fed up with all the attention going to Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck quits Hollywood, teams up with recently-fired stuntman Damien Drake Jr.(Fraser) and embarks on a round-the-world adventure, along with Bugs and The VP of Warner Bros (Elfman). Their mission? Find Damien's father, and the missing blue diamond... and stay one step ahead of The Acme Corp., who wants the diamond for thier own purposes.
| Brendan Fraser | DJ Drake/Himself/Voice of Tasmanian Devil and She-Devil |
| Jenna Elfman | Kate |
| Steve Martin | Mr. Chairman |
| Timothy Dalton | Damien Drake |
| Heather Locklear | Dusty Tails |
| Joan Cusack | Mother |
| Bill Goldberg | Mr. Smith |
| Don Stanton | Mr. Warner |
| Dan Stanton | Mr. Warner's Brother |
| Dick Miller | Security Guard |
| Roger Corman | Hollywood Director |
| Kevin McCarthy | Dr. Bennell |
| Matthew Lillard | Himself |
| Mary Woronov | Acme VP, Bad Ideas |
| Joe Dante |
6.00 out of 10 (4317 votes)
Visitor Reviews
plenty of cameos...
posted on 18 Aug 2009and actually makes a good kids movie. I was not expecting much from this movie since it did terrible at the box office. But, it turned out to be interesting and I'm sure young kids would really like it. We see plenty of the WB cartoon characters, with the two main ones, Buggs Bunny and Daffy Duck, join forces with Brandon Frasier and Jenna Elfman to hunt down a magical diamond. Then there are many cameos thrown in, with the best one being Steve Martin as the villain. The story is silly, but at least it made sense, which a lot of movies don't now days.FINAL VERDICT: Kids will like it and the plot goes with the type of movie this is. I was able to follow what happened and thought it was OK.
Fun!
posted on 16 Aug 2009I was raised on Looney Tunes, I love Looney Tunes. So it was not that hard for me to love this movie since Joe Dante, the director also loves Looney Tunes and it shows, because this movie is like a "Best Of" gag guide. It has all the classic elements of any Looney Tunes cartoon. Not to mention it is chock full of almost every Looney Tunes character you have ever seen.As much as the film is full of slapstick and silliness it does have a large amount of fun jabbing at product placement in movies, the stupidity of movie executives, the general predictablility of kids films, and how disturbing it is now for Bugs to dress in drag. They even make a great gag about the political correctness of Speedy Gonzalez. I think the only think that annoyed me with the film was Jenna Elfman's performance, it made me cringe. Though it may annoy some, Steve Martin's nothing short of cartoonish performance as the head of the ACME corporation, was so over the top that I couldn't help but laugh.So in the end Looney Tunes: Back in Action is something that should delight Looney Tunes fans young and old, so long as they don't take it too seriously, because the film didn't take itself that seriously, and that's a good thing.
This movie deserved better!
posted on 27 Jun 2009After Daffy Duck is fired by Kate, a Hollywood executive (played by Jenna Elfman), unimaginable chaos arises; Kate is forced to try and bring Daffy back to the studio after failed attempts to make a good Bugs Bunny film without him. Bugs Bunny and stunt man DJ (played by Brendan Fraser) join Daffy on a quest to defeat villains, including madman Mr. Chairman (played by Steve Martin), in finding a gem known as the Blue Monkey in order to save the people of Earth from a terrifying fate. When I first saw the previews for this movie about five years ago, I thought it looked like a gigantic headache. After watching it, I've come to the conclusion that this is yet another victim of bad marketing (and is likely why it didn't do so well money-wise). I probably would never have watched the movie, despite being a huge Looney Tunes fan, if I hadn't seen many positive comments on the movie on IMDb. So I rented it and watched it with my little brother and surprisingly, it didn't suck!I think most kids will like this movie because of the many colorful(not just literally) characters and unique plot, and it's true to its title, having lots of action to keep young viewers from getting bored. Not to mention my brother and I both laughed a lot watching the movie. The animators and writers definitely knew what they were doing with so many clever inside jokes and thankfully, not overdoing it with annoying celebrity cameos. Of course there are occasional attempts at jokes that flopped but overall the movie is a hit in the comedy department.Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the actors who are mostly bland, even Brendan Fraser who is usually great at comedy. Jenna Elfman isn't exactly the most likable or charismatic female lead so I think she was the biggest miscast in the movie, although it hardly matters since the movie doesn't focus much on the actual actors. Heather Locklear has a tiny and forgettable role. Steve Martin steals the show from everyone with his hilarious villainous character, who is an obvious spoof of Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers movies. Just looking at his character was enough to make me laugh and this is the funniest I've seen him in ages! I was shocked to see that some people found him annoying.Of course, my favorite things about the movie are the Looney Tunes characters. Bugs and Daffy are the real stars of the movie(and Bugs takes the back seat to Daffy for a change) and they are at their craziest(which is a good thing). The voice actors do an impressive job in bringing authenticity to the characters. The movie's special effects and animation aren't exactly praiseworthy considering the year it came out, but they are definitely passable. I'm just glad they didn't opt for CGI which is the preference in animation nowadays. Overall, Looney Tunes: Back in Action felt more true to the actual Looney Tunes cartoons and the characters to me than Space Jam and I think it deserved to be successful and not the box office bomb it was. I enjoyed this enough to regret not seeing it in the cinema.
Funny, But Toned Down A Little
posted on 27 Jun 2009Spoilers Ahead!!This was a great movie! It put Space Jam to shame! There were so many cool cameos in this movie. Michael Jordan! Scooby Doo and Shaggy! However, they showed more of Bugs and Daffy than any other Looney Tune. That Coyote still can't win after all these years. Sylvester can't win either. The rainbow Tweety birds plot was done in another Looney Tunes movie. But Bugs, Daffy,
and Elmer Fudd are still as funny as ever. Watch the DVD version. There are so many great scenes that were left out of the theater. The live action parts made the movie much more interesting. And it was so cool how they had an old 1940s singing owl cartoon with the owl singing baritone in the movie.
Exactly what I hoped for
posted on 31 Mar 2009There are few crimes more reprehensible then the dumbing down of the Looney Tunes in a failed attempt to appeal to today's, presumably dumb, children.
Fortunately, director Joe Dante, writer Larry Doyle, lead voice actor Joe Alaskey, and composers John Frizzell and Jerry Goldsmith have created a truly fine work that is able to stay true to the personalities and comedic sensibilities of the original characters. Actually the credit goes to the entire cast and crew of Looney Tunes: Back in Action. These days, seeing a movie where Steve Martin is actually funny is enough of a gift from the Hollywood Heavens. But, I singled out Dante, Doyle, Alaskey, Frizzel, and Goldsmith for their outstanding efforts. Dante is a brilliant director. The success of this film hinged on his dedication to what made the 'toons classic to begin with: really great timing, and convincing character interaction. Larry Doyle made a name for himself on the Simpsons and this movie is evidence that he was one of the GOOD writers.
Simply put, he understands and actually respects the subject matter. I can't say enough about the quality of Alaskey's voice work. He performs the film's two main animated characters, Bugs and Daffy, as well as Tweety, Sylvester, and Marvin the Martian. I don't care what the nitpickers have said, he emulates Blanc almost perfectly. But his skill lies not in mere impersonation, but a genuine understanding of the cadence, timing (again), and personality of the characters. Finally the pace is perfectly frenetic and that's due in large part to the score provided by Frizzel and Goldsmith.
They've seamlessly blended the recognizable, classical pieces used in old Looney Tunes shorts with stings referencing Dante's past work, other films, and their own new material. There's not enough room here to mention everything I liked about this movie. Fraser, Elfman, Martin, Cusack, and the rest are great. The script is filled with too many gags to catch in one viewing. Insider film references abound, just like in the old shorts. This is simply the funniest movie I've seen all year.
Very funny - lots of "in" jokes
posted on 17 Mar 2009It's a pity this film has not done better - I was laughing out loud - but I am a pretty devout Looney Tunes fan - but my wife was laughing a bunch as well, and she doesn't particularly like Looney Tunes.Using the live actors/animated characters interacting in the real world groundwork laid by the classic "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" (as well as one classic Looney Tunes with Daffy Duck and Porky Pig), the film is peppered with numerous Hollywood in-jokes (WARNING: Possible spoiler ahead) - in particular, the scene in Area 52, peppered with various movie monsters from the 50s and 60s - in particular, the classic Robby from Forbidden Planet, the gorilla suit/deep sea diving helmet costumed monster from "Robot Monster", a couple of Daleks - replete with saying "Exterminate" - from Dr. Who, the giant bug/slave from "This Island Earth", references to "Them", a character holding a giant pod from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", who appears in the film in black and white - these are the ones I recognize, and the humor worked very, very well.One really high note - June Foray reprises her voice role as "Granny" - always a pleasure.Overall, I loved it - I'll probably buy this one for my collection when it hits the selves - it really deserves an audience!!
Much Better Than Expected
posted on 03 Mar 2009Even though I had heard good things about this film, I didn't expect that much....but was very surprised. It's good, very entertaining and worth watching. The humor is excellent with some very funny things in here and very clever in spots. It helps a lot to know your Looney Tunes characters and it helps a great deal to know your film history. References to old films and characters are everywhere. For that reason, I would recommend this film for classic movie fans. They'll be pleasantly surprised.On the bad side, I found the film too loud, which is no surprise since cartoons tend to be that way. The loudest may have been Daffy Duck, who is a major player in this film. The female lead, Jenna Elman, is too hard-looking and just not likable to me.The positives outweigh the negatives, however. If you can put up with the loudness and stupid acting (Steve Martin is brutal here in that regard), you'll still get a ton of laughs out of this movie.
Hilarious from start to finish
posted on 01 Mar 2009I have seen a lot funny movies in my life but this one is outrageous funnier than 7 of the ten "funny" movies you would pick off the shelves. Great family fun and if you are a Wile E. Coyote fan than this is the movie you will love. I almost blacked out from laughing too hard. Even my parents loved it this is a MUST-SEE movie for all ages from 5-106 and is only rated PG for actually nothing there is absolutely no "innuedo" for sure so the kids wont be grossed out. If you have had a rough day than come home of drop by the nearest movie rental place and rent this movie. Everyone in your family will be laughing from start to finish I guarantee that. No doubt one of the best PG movies of all time.10/10 stars.
Meeeeeehhhhh....What's up doc?
posted on 20 Jan 2009Looney Tunes Back In Action is a wonderful return to the big screen for our favorite wabbit and duck. But not only are there a lot of gags and moments for kids and adults alike, but there are NUMEROUS cameo appearances that adults will get a kick out of.Brendan Frasier stars as DJ, a security guard/wanna-be stuntman who loses his job after He embarasses Kate Houghton (Jenna Elfman) and Bugs Bunny (himself) while trying to eject the recently-fired Daffy Duck (Himself). After DJ is fired, He and Daffy find out that his father Damien Drake (played to the hilt by Timothy Dalton) doesn't just play a spy on the screen. He IS a spy! (Good choice of casting, In my honest opinion. He was a former James Bond). Damien has been kidnapped by Mr. Chairman (Steve Martin...again a good choice!) who heads ACME. They are all after the blue monkey, a jewel with magnificent powers.The movie is full of Classic Warner gags and New jokes a-plenty, and Bugs and Daffy haven't lost their touch. They still intertwine the slapstick with their famous wordplay to make it work again. Wonderful piece of work, that should be seen by all looney tunes fans!
Very good but....
posted on 27 Dec 2008At the risk of adding a superfluous comment to the 14 pages which are here already, this is one I picked up as a cheap DVD and was both surprised and absolutely delighted with it.Mostly.My delight stemmed from things which people have already mentioned, although I would say that there are a number of gags which are there for the older viewer and which won't mean much to under-40s, never mind the kids. In fact, in many ways, much of this movie is aimed at adults rather than kids (not that I'm complaining, you understand).There was one single factor, and one alone which (for me) spoilt this film, and that was Steve Martin. I usually like Martin, but I thought he absolutely stank in this. I don't know whether it was the script, him, the director, or all three, but the conceptualisation of his character was wrong from the start. The human characters needed to play straight: the film was already populated by cartoon characters. It's fine to have a human play the villain in a cartoon style in something like Austin Powers - it's in keeping with Powers himself - but in a film where the cartoon element is supplied by, well, cartoons, the humans need to underplay by contrast. And, even within the field of cartoonish performances, he simply wasn't very funny. With the exception of the unzipping identities sequence (which was a comical bit of schtick in itself), his every appearance saw the smile drop off my face, to reappear only when he went offscreen again. I thought he was awful, truly embarrassingly dreadful, and it was his performance alone which brings my vote down from 9 to 6.
Jones and Blanc would be proud
posted on 13 Dec 2008I remember being in love with Space Jam as a kid. My childhood was a steady diet of Warner Bros. shorts, and seeing the characters on the big screen was a thrill. As I got older, it seemed to lose its appeal steadily, and I realized that the Tunes weren't themselves in Space Jam. In fact, they were barely more than a device for giving Michael Jordan a "movie" in which to show off his b-ball skills. There were no chases, no anvils, and very little dynamite. How sad. Not that it's horrible, but it's not the Looney renaissance it could have been.So when I sat down to watch Looney Tunes: Back In Action, I figured it was a last-ditch attempt by the company to make some more money on their once-great characters. Rarely have I been so happy to be wrong. This film is a high-tech homage to the glory days of theatrical cartoons, inspired in its silliness and keen in its observations. Director Joe Dante knew what he wanted with this movie (and what he didn't) and the forethought is obvious. Porky Pig and Speedy Gonzales lamenting their so-called "political incorrectness" is brilliant in its self-awareness. The film is packed with in-jokes and cameos, without being distracting (except for maybe during the café scene -I was laughing too hard at the happenings in the background to listen to Bugs and Kate). The story is beside the point, it doesn't matter. It's merely to hold the scenes together. Every 5-10 minutes of the movie could be considered an individual cartoon with its own gags and mini-plot. A handful of scenes, such as the chase through the paintings in the Louvre and the outer space battle, are comedic genius, and bring back memories of the best Chuck Jones shorts. And why has no previous review mentioned the car chase through Las Vegas? It has great action, a good background song, and witty banter. The "wrong message to children" line gets me every time. Another thing Back In Action has going for it is the score. Jerry Goldsmith manages to weave original music, classical music, Carl Stalling's work, a handful of pop hits, and even a few notes from the score of "Gremlins" into the same film. Impressive and fun.As for some complaints people have about the movie: most of the paintings featured in the Louvre chase aren't actually displayed in the Louvre. My reply: Who cares? Another complaint: The live action/animation interaction isn't as good as Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and that came out 15 years earlier! My reply: if you look hard enough for something, you'll usually find it. I thought the interaction was plenty convincing, and I was more interested in enjoying the movie rather than criticizing it. besides, there's errors in Roger Rabbit. There's a rather obvious one in that film's first few minutes.The lamest complaint: this is too risqué for children. My reply: It's not meant for children. While the film has a PG rating, it was made for people who would remember the Looney Tunes. That means adults. The original shorts were made to precede adult features back in the 30's and 40's. Chuck Jones himself said that they didn't make the cartoons for children or adults, but for themselves. The old cartoons are full of violence, sexual innuendo, and celebrity cameos of the day.I honestly don't understand why this movie tanked so hard at the box office. Either clueless parents took their kids who were too young to get what was going on, or it was seen by people who actually hate Looney Tunes, which I consider sacrilegious. Ignore the naysayers on this board. Looney Tunes: Back In Action is Bugs, Daffy, and the rest of the gang writ large, with their true personalities intact.
A giant leap in the right direction
posted on 09 Dec 2008**SPOILERS AHEAD** Though not gut-busting-ly funny, this movie does certainly provide the laughs. It also represents a giant leap in the right direction for the Looney Tunes franchise, in my opinion. The best sequence was in the Louve museum without a doubt. I felt the voices were pretty faithful to the Mel Blanc originals. I have to agree with the other reviewers that his movie is like the Naked Gun movies in that the first time you watch you'll likely miss 50% of the gags,etc. that you didn't see in the background or while you were looking somewhere else in the frame. Brendan Fraiser is alright as the human lead actor, though is there really no one else who auditioned for that part? If you don't know much about film history or art, then some of the gags may be above your head. If you do, hold on to your seat boys and girls. All in all, a much needed and appreciated improvement over Space Jam, and hopefully will breathe new life into the Looney Tunes franchise. Keep your eyes peeled before upcoming WB movies, as new animated shorts are on their way. I give the movie ***/****.
Looney Tunes: They Way They Are Ment To Be
posted on 05 Nov 2008This was a great Looney Tunes movie. I was really worried at first because I thought this movie would be something like Space Jam. But this movie really surprised me, the voices were much better, the jokes were funnier... and the acting was better. I think having REAL actors are much better then sport starts (no offence to all those sport lovers out there)Just like most people say, Daffy Duck does steal the movie, and it really makes people appreciate him a lot more. Bugs Bunny is always cool and the other Looney Tunes make small appearences... even Scooby-Doo and Shagy (who are not Looney Tunes).It's a shame that this movies is not doing well in the theaters like Space Jam did. This movie deserves a lot more.
God Forbid.
posted on 16 Oct 2008This movie is appalling. I couldn't believe that its rating is actually higher than a 3. Even "Space Jam" was more enjoyable than this 90 minutes of garbage. Luckily I didn't watch the whole film, only the last 30 minutes. Joe Dante actually thought that the movie that he made was better than "Space Jam"?! God, what was he THINKING?? He nicknamed his film the "Anti-Space Jam" movie, well I nickname this most the "Anti-Joe Dante" post. I have lost all respect for this man. My Rating: 3/10. This movie is intended for the mentally ill, not children OR adults, especially not adults. Anyone who had to sit through the entire movie, I praise you.
I loved this thing.
posted on 10 Oct 2008Its just good, cute, fun. The cast is way cool, from Timothy Dalton to Heather Locklear. (Boy, has time ever been good to her!) The plot is a vehicle for laughs and thats all, but thats plenty good enough. The stars? They ARE Bugs and Daffy. No doubt about it. Everyone else plays second fiddle to the cartoon characters. I have seen better interaction between animated characters and live actors, but thats OK. The rest of it makes up for the slight lack in this area. Sneaking certain characters into the thing, making cameos, is well done and adds to the fun. I think "fun" defines this film very well. Who will enjoy this movie? Well, little kids certainly. And big kids, the ones that, like me, were raised on Looney Tunes. And, having said that, well ... Tha-tha, tha-tha, thats all folks.
Been There, Done That.
posted on 06 Oct 2008Just never playing very well on the silver screen, the Looney Tunes once again sink to a mediocre level here. Warner Bros. security guard Brendan Fraser gets fired simultaneously with cartoon punching bag Daffy Duck. Soon he learns that his actor father (Timothy Dalton) is not only a super agent (ala James Bond) in the movies, but also in real life. Dalton's last mission (to find a mystical blue diamond) turned bad and now he has been kidnapped. Meanwhile new studio executive Jenna Elfman (who fired the two aforementioned players) and Bugs Bunny come together to find Fraser and Daffy, but soon they learn there are more important things going on as the Acme Corporation (headed by Steve Martin) looks to find the diamond, enslave people to make their products by brainwashing them and then keeping them brainwashed so they can buy the products they unwittingly made. The enemies are everywhere as Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam and Wile E. Coyote become the major players in Martin's evil scheme. Soon the heroic quartet is dodging bad guys and trying to find the diamond before it is too late. Of course comedy and crazed action are the calling cards as everything ends up being hit and miss. Some things work, but most honestly do not. The live action/cartoon aspect was attempted in 1996 with "Space Jam" (a movie that was ho-hum as well). The Looney Tunes were created for quick laughs (seven and eight minute installments) and they just continue to be out of their element when in theatrical form. Controversial characters like Speedy Gonzales and Porky Pig even show up for a moment as well to sneakily let the public know how they feel about being marked as "stereotypical entities". The human performers just do not do enough to carry the animated material when the movie runs its course. Watchable and clean entertainment, but critically it ends up failing. 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Roger Rabbit and Space Jam was better..
posted on 30 Sep 2008I think space Jam was way better... The Looney Tunes characters had very little screen appearance (i mean compared to how much they should be) and the actors work wasn't so convincing. It didn't look as good as in for example Roger Rabbit and Space Jam.I also had very few laughs. The humour is mostly too childish compared to the good old Looney Tunes cartoons.Of course there were some cool special effects, but they just doesn't weigh up! A lot of the cgi was pretty lame too..They should've been able to do waaaaaaay better nowadays! I mean Roger Rabbit came out in 1988! geez!Nice try though.. Try again.
A hilarious 90 minutes for your buck
posted on 20 Sep 2008*minor spoilers included* I had originally gone to see this movie because of the "Harry Potter 3" trailer. Strangely enough, I came to the theater too late to see it, but the movie itself made up for missing the trailer. "Back in Action" was one of the funniest movies I've seen this year. However, the rating might be PG and it may be intended for kids, but younger viewers may not get all of the jokes. For instance, I nearly fell out of my seat during one scene where Bugs reenacts the 'shower scene' from "Psycho", but someone who hadn't seen "Psycho" wouldn't have thought of it as hilarious. Not to mention some of the content in the movie may not be suitable for the younger kids. I saw at least a dozen under-12-year-old's at the movie and they didn't laugh as much as their parents or their older siblings did. Not only is the movie a great comedy, but the animation and cinematography are very well done. The picture quality is amazing and the live action/animated scenes look very convincing. The only major peeve I had about this movie was the acting. I'm not saying anything bad about Brendan Fraser and Jenna Elfman, but judging by this movie, I don't think they have had much experience in a live action/animation movie. Their acting seems too fake in some of the scenes with Bugs and co. Be sure to catch some appearances by Jeff Gordon and Timothy Dalton, to name a few. To wrap it all up (I'm sure some of you may be asleep from reading this by now) "Looney Tunes: Back in Action" is a hilarious and fun movie that leaves you feeling like you didn't just waste $7 to see it ($30 if you bought popcorn, soda, and some nachos) My rating: 7/10
When Steve Martin is more animate than Bugs Bunny, you know this film has problems
posted on 20 Sep 2008Dumb live action Loony Tunes adventure that lacks the charm and humor that made the cartoons such a treat to see. Brendan Fraser and Janna Elfman are wasted in a paper-thin plot that makes tissue paper seem thick by comparison and nether of them are able to shake off the corny and flat humor that surrounds them. The gags lack the trademark sharp sense of humor that defines what the original cartoons were about and the jokes are beyond stale. The only good thing about the whole movie is Steve Martin and he's so good that he seems more like a cartoon than the whole cast of characters of the Loony Tunes combine. The movie is a good time waster if you have kids but not even them would stick around to the end. Space Jam was a much better film by comparison to this and it had a message to boot. This film lacks even laughs, that's how bad it is.
Nice try, but try again...
posted on 24 Aug 2009Could've been entertaining. Using Who Framed Roger Rabbit as a yardstick, Looney Tunes: Back in Action doesn't measure up.Cartoon characters are included, or 'thrown in', for the heck of it. Just as some science fiction films rely on special effects to carry them through, this one tries to do the same with the live/animated mix. It didn't succeed at much of anything for me. I didn't care about the live characters, or the animated ones.Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a tight, well executed story -- told well with the blending of live actors and animated ones. Not once in that film did I have the impression the actors weren't really interacting with the characters. In this film, there was always the impression actors were trying to hit their marks to make things easy for the animators.Maybe next time...