Film Reviews

Looney Tunes: Back in Action

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Brendan Fraser
• Details: US / 90 mins / (G).

What's there really to say about a film called 'Looney Tunes: Back in Action'? No, really? The sort of flick that doesn't really require a classification, 'Looney Tunes: Back in Action' is a film with younger viewers written all over it, and something of an endurance test for accompanying adults.
The movie begins by documenting a face off between those cheeky rascals, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Of course, it wouldn't be a Hollywood movie without a few celebrity cameos. Which is about where the likes of Brendan Fraser, Steve Martin and ahem, Heather Locklear come into play, as Daffy and Bugs get up to all sorts of nonsense. Perfectly cast, Fraser is JD, a lunkhead security guard, who is called into action when Daffy's contract with Warner Brothers studios is cancelled, thanks to his long-running feud with the carrot chompin' one. You don't need me to tell you that Daffy soon impresses himself on JD's life and in-between searching for the latter's father, they go on a whirlwind tour of the world, thanks to some international spy nonsense.
Edgily directed by Joe Dante ('Gremlins' and more troublingly, 'Joe Versus the Volcano'), there's far too much going on to make anything resembling cohesion shine through. Overly concerned with making references to other movies, the moments of humour are played a little too fitful to be anything more than a passing curiosity. The little people may like it, but don't be too surprised if they decide that it's a trifle blase for their tastes.

Review by Garreth Murphy