It’s a bit astonishing that, as we approach their 100th anniversary, “The Day the Earth Blew Up” is the first theatrical Looney Tunes film to be released that isn’t a live action-animation hybrid or a compilation of previously released shorts spliced into a film. It seems like an immediate slam dunk, but for some reason, Warner Bros. didn't see it that way and almost dropped the film into a tax-write off oblivion. In stepped small-time distributor Ketchup Entertainment, who’s biggest hits so far have been the Michael Mann-directed “Ferrari” film and 2012’s President hunting B-movie “Big Game.” It’s thanks to them that “The Day the Earth Blew Up” has survived and graced theatres this year, and it might just be the biggest bit of goodwill the studio could have ever earned.
The film follows Porky Pig and Daffy Duck, both voiced by longtime modern Tune staple Eric Bauza (“Tiny Toons Looniversity,” “Looney Tunes Cartoons”), living together in the big city. In search of money to repair their house, the pair find themselves working at the Goodie Gum factory alongside Petunia Pig, voiced by Candi Milo (“ChalkZone,” “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends”). While working there, they discover a sinister mind-control plot put forth by an alien Invader, voiced by Peter MacNicol (“Ally McBeal,” “Sophie’s Choice”), to take over the Earth using the factories chewing gum.
As is the case since their inception, even more so than the animation, the voices for these Tunes are their heart and soul. Luckily, the voice actors currently behind these modern interpretations are as excellent as they’ve ever been. Bauza nails Porky and Daffy’s individual nuances and vocal ticks with flawless execution, and so many of the film’s moments become even more impressive when you realize that it’s essentially him talking to himself. Milo brings an energetic and science driven spin on Petunia that helps elevate her beyond just being the “female version of Porky.” MacNicol is a devilishly entertaining villainous force, perfectly sliding just enough menace into the voice of an archetypal B-movie alien invader.
Besides the smaller distribution and cultural impact, if there’s one main reason to see this on the big screen, it’s the animation. Gorgeously done, every frame is hand drawn and is full of life. Not only that, but it gets experimental at numerous moments. Early on, an extended sequence shifts from widescreen to the 4:3 aspect ratio of the original theatrical shorts, one bit apes the art styles of 60s sepia-toned animation, and there are even extended moments with only music, composed to excellent effect by Joshua Moshier (“Baskets,” “Looney Tunes Cartoons”), aping the original Merrie Melodies aesthetic. It truly does feel like every single bit of this film’s visual identity is in service of creating a gorgeous, lushly animated feature that pays tribute to almost every part of the Tunes’s history.
Directed by longtime TV director Pete Browngardt (“Uncle Grandpa,” “The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack”) and co-written by Browngardt and ten others (Darrick Bachman, Kevin Costello, Andrew Dickman, David Gemmill, Alex Kirwan, Ryan Kramer, Jason Reicher, Michael Ruocco, Johnny Ryan, and Eddie Trigueros), there’s a legitimate effort to somehow bring a typical three-act structure to a Looney Tunes adventure, without sacrificing a legitimate narrative payoff or general looniness. While nothing exceptional, the film does manage to get a legitimately engaging emotional arc out of Porky and Daffy’s misadventure. Given their long and illustrious history, it means that these writers have a strict set of personalities to work with. That means most of the work is already done, and they can immediately jump into the world’s humor and in mixing up that central relationship. It’s virtually a laugh a minute film, and even if those laughs slow in the film’s third act, you’re never at a loss for amusing sights or bits of visual wonderment. The humor might not be strictly for everyone but taking a quick glance at an episode or two of Browngardt’s own “Looney Tunes Cartoons” show will be a good indicator of your enjoyment.
It’s almost a miracle that “The Day the Earth Blew Up” exists at all in the modern theatrical landscape, and the fact that Ketchup Entertainment seems to view its meager box-office as a success already is a good thing. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable comedic tour-de-force, blending various forms of animation and music to hilarious effect. More than that, and more than most other films recently, it feels like a genuine work of love and care from those behind the scenes. It isn’t just a good Looney Tunes work; it's one of the finest examples of the animated medium in a very long time. Everything from the voice work, the animation, the music, the gags, it’s all an example of the animation medium in peak form. 5/5
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