Director: Peter Browngardt
Writer: Kevin Costello, Alex Kirwan, Peter Browngardt
Stars: Eric Bausa, Candi Milo, Peter MacNicol
Synopsis: Porky Pig and Daffy Duck are Earth’s only hope when facing the threat of alien invasion.
It’s safe to say that the Looney Tunes brand has seen better days. It’s not as though there is anything wrong with the Looney Tunes, but it seemed that after Coyote vs. Acme was shelved, even though the film was completed, they were at an all-time low. The newer generations hardly know about the Looney Tunes – I mean, the Space Jam sequel barely came within $100 million of the original, and it starred one of the most well-known athletes in the world – and the older generations that grew up with them aren’t exactly clamoring for a return either. Then comes along The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, the first-ever feature-length Looney Tunes movie created for a theater audience.
The Day the Earth Blew Up follows Daffy Duck and Porky Pig (Eric Bauza masterfully voices both Daffy and Porky) as orphaned farm animals taken under the care of Farmer Jim (Fred Tatasciore). After Farmer Jim seemingly passes away, it is up to Daffy and Porky to look over the home they grew up in. Unfortunately, a massive hole in the roof causes them to fail their inspection. Then comes one of the more fun and traditional Looney Tunes sequences: the pair look for jobs, constantly failing as nothing fits their skillset. This scene, which looks like a classic Looney Tunes episode (down to the aspect ratio and intro), highlights one of the film’s most endearing qualities: love for the Looney Tunes brand.
Other films involving beloved TV characters from an older generation (Tom and Jerry, for example) feel a need to do something too different from what the characters are known for. They stretch too far outside the realm of comfort and instead make something that isn’t just uncomfortable; it’s lazy. Daffy is reckless, constantly wanting to smash things with his massively oversized mallet that he can pull from just about anything and anywhere. At the same time, Porky is clumsy but much more reserved and thorough about the tasks at hand. This is who these characters are, and director Peter Browngardt doesn’t force them to be anything other than their usual selves. Much of the heart in this film came from Daffy and Porky coming to terms with who they are in a meaningful way to both the characters and the fans. In a reasonably strong feature debut, Browngardt appeals to the characters and the audience, providing sequences that bring forth nostalgia in humorous back-and-forth banter.
Their failure to search for a job brings them to a diner where Porky lays eyes on Petunia (Candy Milo), an equally clumsy pig whose awkwardness Porky overlooks, only seeing her beauty. He is instantly in love, which makes the stuttering pig even more nervous. However, when she tells the two about her job at a gum factory, they realize this might be the perfect opportunity for them. For a while, this job works out, and it seems as though Porky and Daffy will be able to save their home, but when something weird begins happening to the gum, turning all the people who chew it into mindless zombies, it is up to Porky, Daffy, and Petunia to save the Earth.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is about as perfect as a Looney Tunes movie could be today. It’s a straightforward film that feels like a well-thought-out expansion of the show that became popular in the 1940s. The massive slew of writers (11 writing credits and 4 story credits) never get in the way of each other and bring out the best qualities of these characters. All the while, they are still managing to create something relevant for today. Some of the writing didn’t always work (a boba tea joke fell flat), but others, such as Petunia’s search for a “new flavor,” brought some self-reflection and potential advancement for this series. One of the best aspects of this film is that while it does remain a traditional Looney Tunes narrative, there is an understanding that change is needed, but change is required from the people who care; it can’t come from the corporations that run these brands – which the film being released at all after being dropped from Warner Bros. MAX streaming schedule and shipped off for other distribution gives this plot even more heft – and needs to happen from the people who want to make a good product the best they can.
Making the best product they can might be the best thing this film does. From the fun direction to the amusing writing and committed voice performances, everyone displayed a level of respect for these characters that had all but been forgotten. The Day the Earth Blew Up isn’t going to change animation, and it won’t be a paradigm shift for the Looney Tunes brand; instead, this well-made and fun film will serve as a reminder to fans old and new that these characters are still here, and they’re still as looney as ever.
