Growing up, I constantly watched Looney Tunes. From Bugs Bunny’s sassy remarks to Daffy Duck’s zaniness, the show was an indelible force in shaping my humor. As the years have gone on, though, these cartoons have generally decreased in popularity. Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav has faced backlash for mishandling popular characters after removing more than 255 cartoons from streaming and refusing to release the film “Coyote vs. Acme” even after it was completed in 2022. Nevertheless, “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” survived the animation purge and is the first fully 2D animated film starring the Looney Tunes cast. Despite great adversity, the film succeeds in being entertaining and funny, reminding us of the joys of these characters, even if the writing is occasionally questionable and some jokes fall flat.
The film stars voice actor Eric Bauza as both Daffy and Porky Pig, who previously voiced Bugs, Daffy and Tweety in HBO Max’s cartoon revival series “Looney Tunes Cartoons.” The movie also features Candi Milo as Petunia Pig — a welcome addition as Porky’s love interest — and Peter MacNicol and Fred Tatasciore in supporting roles.
Peter Browngardt, the director, succeeds in making this film both a science fiction adventure and a buddy cop comedy. Through a succinct and clever chain of events, Daffy and Porky end up at the center of an alien scheme to take over the world while also trying to save their house from being condemned.
For longtime “Looney” fans, the project ultimately delivers. There are meta references galore, including a scene where the word “foreshadowing…” directly appears on the screen in classic “Looney Tunes” fashion. The conductor then appears on screen as well, gets upset with the plot and walks out. These scenes harken back to the original cartoons, where Bugs, Daffy and Porky would frequently deliver their lines straight to the audience and break the fourth wall. Even if you aren’t a diehard fan, it’s still a funny and enjoyable watch. The story, involving an alien, a gum factory and a home inspector, is comical despite its ridiculous, off-the-wall and somewhat confusing nature. The absurdity perfectly fits these characters as they goof their way through the film, trying to figure out the scheme to win their house back.
At the core of the movie is an emotional bond between Porky and Daffy. Daffy, being “loony,” is always messing things up for Porky, which is understandably tiring for the pig. They fight as they both mess up, consistently getting themselves into more trouble. The buddy-cop aspect of the film reminds me of another famous animated duo: SpongeBob and Patrick’s dynamic, with Porky as SpongeBob and Daffy as Patrick. Though more comedically clever than SpongeBob and Patrick, Porky and Daffy’s friendship and the absurdity of their situations are similar to the underwater pair.
The appearance of modern humor is welcome to the film and surprisingly enjoyable, as the film doesn’t rely on nostalgia-based comedy. For example, Daffy works as a barista and a customer orders a 13-word coffee order. However, at certain times, it falls flat and feels downright cringey, like a 30-second vignette in which Porky and Daffy work as “influencers,” featuring a twerking montage. It doesn’t ruin the film, but it feels disjointed from the Looney adventures.
Overall, it was a bit too childish for my taste; I preferred the more adult and less zany takes of Cartoon Network’s “The Looney Tunes Show” or the 2003 film “Looney Tunes: Back in Action.” But there is still a place and an audience for these classic cartoons — though whether this audience is an entirely new generation or the nostalgic fans of the past, I’m unsure, and it seems the studio is seeking to answer that question as well.
Still, people can have many different takes on these characters, and this is just one. While it might not be my favorite, it still owns up to the classic elements of the franchise. Perhaps, “The Day The Earth Blew Up” can welcome a new generation to the joys of these iconic characters.
