THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP: A LOONEY TUNES MOVIE: 3 ½ STARS. “nostalgia hangs in the air.
SYNOPSIS: In “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie,” a brand-new, hand-drawn 2D animated adventure feature now playing in theatres, chewing gum infected with alien goo turns earthlings into zombies. In a strange twist, the fate of the world lies in the hands of odd couple Porky Pig and Daffy Duck.
CAST: Eric Bauza, Candi Milo, Peter MacNicol, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig. Directed by Pete Browngardt.
REVIEW: The first fully animated feature-length film in Looney Tunes history pays tribute not only to the legendary cartoons and the kind of b-movies that populated drive in screens when John Diefenbaker was Prime Minister, but also the friendship between Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, both played by Canadian voice actor Eric Bauza.
For longtime Looney Tunes fans, a sense of nostalgia hangs in the air.
The character designs harken back to the Bob Clampett-directed cartoons from 1939-1945, the heart of the Looney Tunes classic era, as does the anarchic brand of comedy on display in the movie’s big set pieces. Director Pete Browngardt, who co-wrote the script with Darrick Bachman along a laundry list of nine other writers, shows genuine respect for the history of the franchise but adds in some modern touches.
In order to pay for the upkeep of their home, bequeathed to them by their adoptive father, Farmer Jim (voice of Fred Tatasciore), Daffy gets a very 21st century job as a barista, but in keeping with his explosive personality, the testy duck loses it when people order complicated drinks.
None of it, the jokes, the slapstick or the cartoon anarchy, would mean much if the relationship at the heart of the movie didn’t work. Daffy and Porky are lifelong friends and the film’s portrayal of their camaraderie, which is threatened by the end of the world scenario, is both amusing and touching. There’s even a hint of passion as Porky and Petunia (voice of Candi Milo) become romantically involved. It’s all very sweet and provides a nice emotional counterpoint to the film’s preposterous humour.
Jam packed with jokes, sight gags and the well-worn friendship between Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” creates a world for the characters that should please old fans and get new viewers up to speed.
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