Judging by entertainment news, the term “animated” might seem like an industry euphemism for “tax write-off.” And despite Warner Bros. being the most destructive thing to happen to cartoons since the eraser, its new feature film, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, is getting love from critics. The first reviews are in for the Looney Tunes movie that managed to escape Warner Bros.’ clutches and land a theatrical release (more on that in a moment), and the response from critics so far is overwhelmingly positive.
Directed by Peter Browngardt, The Day the Earth Blew Up sends Daffy Duck and Porky Pig on an adventure to save the planet from an alien invasion.
In his review for Variety, critic Peter Debruge writes:
“Day” is funnier than any film the studio has put out since “The Lego Movie 2” and a rare chance to see Porky and Daffy doing something other than playing basketball or moving merch.”
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Looney Tunes fans might remember that last year the Coyote vs. Acme feature film was cast into the fires of Hell to appease the shareholder gods and, sadly, this offering from the once great animation studio got the same treatment. However, since Day was completed, it has mercifully limboed under David Zaslav’s scythe and will release in theaters February 28, 2025. Until then, initial reviews from the 2024 Annecy International Animated Film Festival praise the goofy romp as both touching and hilarious. Nicolás Delgadillo of Discussing Film writes:
“But beyond the gags and wild hijinks, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is incredibly heartfelt, with a deep affection for its characters that adds a layer of warmth to the madness.”
Looney Tunes Shares Comedy DNA With Almost Everything
The influence of Looney Tunes on comedy, both animated and live-action, can’t be overstated. The indelible animated shorts asked, “What if Buster Keaton didn’t have to obey the laws of physics?” and created a vibrant vocabulary of humor, absurdist gags, and filmmaking rhythm that can be seen in some of the best bits in The Simpsons, SpongeBob Squarepants, and The Amazing World of Gumball, all the way up to the 2022 indie comedy masterpiece Hundreds of Beavers. As such, Daffy and Porky’s own 2D animated film being lauded by critics is exciting for old-head animation fans and new audiences that have yet to see the physical gag perfected in a way only Looney Tunes can.
The scope of Day is remarkably restrained and features just three toons as its leads. With recent Looney Tunes offerings cramming cameos left, right, and center – even some forgettable ones – this film keeps it dead simple with a classic sci-fi premise. Delgadillo writes, “it’s refreshing to see an animated movie of this sort choose not to rely on an overwhelming number of cameos or frantic crossovers. Instead, we get a story that’s personal, with its emotional core rooted in the bond between Daffy and Porky.” Rafael Motamayor of IGN calls it “one of the funniest movies of the year,” and adds, “the (gorgeous) animation is slick and fluid, and the pacing relentless – the jokes-per-minute ratio is astounding.”
That the animated franchise is nearly 100 years old and still able to surprise and delight is both mind-boggling and life-affirming – proof that the affecting power of art is timeless and continues to speak to and through new people who carry on its legacy. Time will tell if audiences will get to see more cartoons from the studio that pioneered the medium, but hopefully, that’s not all folks.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie
- Director
- Peter Browngardt
- Cast
- Peter MacNicol , Fred Tatasciore , Eric Bauza , Candi Milo , April Winchell , Jeff Bergman