LOONEY TUNES BACK IN ACTION

US, 2003, 90 minutes, Colour.
Brendan Fraser, Jenna Elfman, Steve Martin, Timothy Dalton, Heather Locklear, Joan Cusack, Bill Goldberg, Dick Miller, Roger Corman, Kevin Mc Carthy, Matthew Lillard, Mary Woronov, Marc Lawrence, Bill Mc Kinney, Ron Perlman, Vernon Wells, Leo Rossi.
Directed by Joe Dante.

I wish I could say that this was an entertaining comedy, in the vein of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. However, despite a lot of effort, the result is rather strained, too complicated for the younger audiences - and not complicated enough for their parents.

For those who have a passion for Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny, the whole thing will be delightful. When Daffy Duck is sacked from Warner Bros but an over-zealous new executive (Jenna Elfman) to make way for Bugs to be the main star, he finds himself in company with a gawky would-be stuntman (Brendan Fraser) who is, in fact, the son of the James Bond-like studio star (Timothy Dalton) who is both star and real spy. The plot concerns Las Vegas, a television satellite, a mad businessman, journeys into space to destroy the transmitter.

The villain has to be one of the smarmiest and overacted villain of comedy movies. It is an unrecognisable Steve Martin. He gives a terrible performance making Daffy Duck look as suave as Pierce Brosnan!! A lost opportunity.

1.An entertainment for young audiences? Adult audiences? The traits of live action inspired by animation films? How well did this work?

2.The films of Joe Dante, The Howling, Gremlins, Matinee and his interest in this kind of fantasy?

3.Warner Bros and Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, The Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Yosemite Sam and other characters? Tweety Pie?

4.The intercutting of the animation with the live action? The plot? Hollywood?

5.Kate, the boss, the meetings, her high-handedness, Daffy ousted, meeting D.J. Drake? The need to change, the search? D.J. Drake, his father, going to Las Vegas, the adventures, in the car, clothes, equipment? The lab and Daffy Duck? Mother? The plot of the chairman? In danger? The happy ending?

6.D.J. Drake and his father? Timothy Dalton? Stunts and cars, ousted, Daffy Duck? Bugs Bunny? Kate, the car, going? The club and Dusty Tails? Mother, the quest? The father and the rails? Space and the finale? With the real Brendan Fraser?

7.The chairman, the board, Steve Martin and his caricature? The meetings, the TV monitor? Espionage? His being transformed into a monkey? Daffy Duck, Damian Drake? The end and the monkey? The members and their treatment?

8.Daffy Duck as hero, getting the sack, the heroics, character? Talk? Space? Rivalling Bugs Bunny?

9.Bugs Bunny and his character, as a star, the action, the themes, the disguises?

10.Yosemite Sam and the club? Dusty Tails and the truth?

11.The range of other characters, the members of the board, Las Vegas, space, the chairman?

12.Timothy Dalton and the James Bond background, films, his son, a real spy? The rescue?

13.The chairman and his disguises, the finale with the monkey? ‘And that’s all, folks!’