Image courtesy of Warner Bros.
by Daniel Andrade
Twenty-five years ago, a movie came along that brought two superstars together for the first time. Basketball legend Michael Jordan and Looney Tunes icon Bugs Bunny teamed up in a collaboration unlike any other, giving us the cult classic Space Jam. Filled with all your favorite cartoon characters, an incredible soundtrack, and a fun and frantic game of basketball, it’s no wonder why so many look back at the original Space Jam with fond nostalgia. It certainly seemed like a movie that could stand on its own and was immune from the Hollywood trend of sequels and reboots.
That all changed when we learned that the latest basketball phenomenon, LeBron James, would be bringing a reboot/sequel to the screen with Space Jam: A New Legacy. The public was understandably skeptical. Though the original was by no means a perfect movie itself, many were unsure of whether such a classic film needed to be brought to life anew. Much like when the first movie was announced, the public was uncertain whether an athlete could carry a film, if the mix of live-action and animation would work, and how relevant the Looney Tunes still are for today’s audience. So were these concerns valid? Can it compete with the first movie and bring the magic within it to a contemporary audience? Let’s discuss.
As I stated earlier, I can admit that the original, a film that I still love and watch every now and then, is not the best movie. Michael Jordan is not a good actor, and the special effects are hit-or-miss. The jokes are decent and are certainly directed toward a younger audience. The story doesn’t make perfect sense and is full of plot holes and unexplainable events (which, to the movie’s credit, are addressed in a meta, self-deprecating way). But there’s still something about the original that gives it a certain spark, something that just makes it fun and entertaining to watch despite its flaws.
The new film suffers from much of the same problems. James is an iconic figure to be sure, and you can tell that he is really trying and committing to the film, but sometimes the lines and his facial expressions just fall flat. There is no doubt that he shines in the basketball moments where he gives us all his signature moves that we would hope to see. Just like in the first film, I also appreciated the highlights of his career that were displayed in a fantastic hybrid of animation and real-life. The main villain of the story, Al G. Rhythm (played with gusto by Don Cheadle), has a plan that doesn’t make too much sense and relies on technical jargon to justify his scheme. He’s accompanied by a cute little sidekick who is mainly there to balance him out. The most entertaining part of the villain’s story is getting to see where he lives: in the Warner Bros. Serververse, which contains a wide variety of characters and worlds from the vast history of Warner Bros. properties, from classics like Casablanca to modern favorites like Game of Thrones. This means that there are an incredible amount of easter eggs that will take multiple viewings to fully see (in my viewing alone, I saw the Animaniacs, The Mask, The Jetsons, The Flintstones, Harvey Birdman, the Night King, Pennywise, and more!). It also allows for some pretty fun mash-ups of Looney Tunes making an appearance in other Warner Bros. properties, like Speedy Gonzales using The Matrix’s “bullet-time” to show off his speed. The movie does poke fun at itself sometimes (James has a line where he talks about how odd it is to try to have athletes become actors), so that meta-humor is still there. The movie is decently funny, though much of the humor is undoubtedly directed toward a younger audience, which is fair. There is an overarching story about letting kids just be themselves and do the things they’re interested in, which I appreciate.
The basketball game itself is fun and full of exciting effects, and your favorite toons are all CGI-ed to look more realistic. The new uniforms for the Tune Squad are stylish and cool, though also somehow sponsored by Nike and Lebron James. The movie puts a twist on the game of basketball that makes sense and makes it stand out to a more contemporary audience who grew up on video games like NBA Jam. It’s silly and wacky and has an arbitrary points system, but it’s no doubt entertaining to watch. In the last film, we had fellow basketball stars like Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, and Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues add to the fun of the film. In this new movie, I’m happy to say it was more balanced out with female players Diana Taurasi and Nneka Ogwumike, as well as icons like Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson making up the “Goon Squad.” In keeping with the video game aesthetic, these players are powered-up versions of themselves, giving them unique characteristics and abilities that are fun to watch. Additionally, we have commentary throughout the game provided by professional sports broadcaster Ernie Johnson and the always-entertaining Lil Rel Howery. Why they’re there, they don’t even know, but they certainly offer a nice addition to the exciting gameplay.
CONCLUSION: Space Jam: A New Legacy is by no means a perfect film. It struggles from the same flaws as its predecessor and is most certainly directed toward a younger audience. However, it does admittedly contain the same heart and spirit as the original as well, just in a shiny new package. It has a few good laughs and some cool effects, but it’s hindered by a convoluted story that at least ends in an exciting, albeit highly unorthodox, game of basketball. While I wouldn’t recommend paying full price for it at the theaters, I’d say it’s worth a watch if you have HBO Max and can stream it at home.
FINAL SCORE: 6/10
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