Let's face it, there is no avoiding Space Jam. Warner Bros. really pulled out all the stops to make sure the film opened big, which it did. In so doing, they finally proved that Disney is not the only one that has the ability to make and successfully market an animated feature as a major event. Thus, the psychological hegomony that was Walt Disney Feature Animation is no more. In this context, it seems rather picky to cast any sort of critical eye on it. After all, aren't the special effects and the marriage of live-action and animation terrific? Well, yes, most of the time, but...

Daffy Duck in Space Jam. © Warner Bros.

Michael Jordan and Bang the Monstar in Space Jam. © Warner Bros.

The film is a fable telling the real story behind superstar Michael Jordan's decision to return to basketball after trying his hand at baseball. It seems that Bugs Bunny and all the Looney Tunes are taken prisoner by a bunch of Nerdlocks, on behalf of their boss, Swackhammer, who wants to use them to liven up his outer space amusement park, Moron Mountain. Bugs tries to get out of it by challenging the diminuitive Nerdlocks to a game of basketball. The Nerdlocks not knowing anything about basketball siphon off the talent from a bunch of NBA stars to turn themselves into Monstars. Bugs thereupon brings in Michael Jordan to coach and play for the Looney Tunes. Jordan's team triumphs, leading him to decide to return to basketball.

Despite all the hoopla and megabucks budget, Space Jam is a rather modest comedy, which aims at a sort of B film sensibility and all the charm that it implies, blended with classic Warner Bros. cartoon characters and situations. The problem is that the film is too much by the numbers. Yes, all the Looney Tunes are there showing off their shtick. Thus, Sylvester gets off several "Sufferin' Succotashes" and lunges periodically at Tweety Bird. There really is no rhyme or reason for many of these bits, other than that the filmmakers felt obliged to put them in. There is also that same sort of hyperkinetic movement that is found in the animated portions of Who Framed Roger Rabbit--another combination film directed by a live-action director. (Despite the credits, the animation seems to have been done under the personal guidance of producer Ivan Reitman, rather than director Joe Pytka).

However, the filmmakers' biggest transgression is perhaps in the betrayal of Bugs Bunny's character by not allowing him to face up to the Nerdlocks and say, "You realize that this means war!" Instead, they turn him into something of a Milquetoast, as he decides not to fight and helps round up the rest of the Looney Tunes by calling them in for a fake union meeting, where the Nerdlocks have set a trap for them!