Peter Browngardt’s “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Film” is an enthralling, antic and fantastically crafted animated movie that generously faucets into the impressed silliness of the supply materials.

The film tells us that Daffy Duck and Porky Pig grew up collectively in a Norman Rockwellian farmhouse getting ready to foreclosures. Whereas Porky succeeds at discovering jobs, Daffy, who’s mainly a lunatic, is the one who all the time messes issues up for each of them.

When Porky falls in love for the primary time, he understandably braces himself with the expectation that Daffy will do one thing to break every little thing for him.

In the meantime, an alien invader takes over a chewing gum manufacturing unit and partakes in a weird plot for world domination.

There are plot strands and visible references from “The Blob” (1958), “Invasion of the Physique Snatchers” (1956 and 1978), “Evening of the Creeps” (1986) and even “Armageddon” (1998), although the movies are correctly by no means identify checked and the satire isn’t overly introduced.

Evaluate that to the “Pulp Fiction” gag in “Area Jam” that was hilarious in 1996 however now appears extraordinarily misplaced.

It may very well be argued that the humor right here is extra akin to “Animaniacs” (1993) than the old fashioned Tex Avery/Chuck Jones/ Friz Freleng cartoon masterpieces that have been usually voiced by Mel Blanc. The jokes that don’t join are all mercifully temporary up to date references – I’m unsure why the Daffy Duck would reference twerking movies on Instagram.

Fortunately, the gags come so quick, for each joke that doesn’t land, there’s one just a few seconds later that does the trick.

The pairing of Porky and Daffy is considerably odd since Daffy is such a wild character and Porky is, nicely, only a speaking pig who stutters. I want Daffy have been teamed with that everlasting wiseass Bugs Bunny or an actual oddball like Marvin the Martian,

Not less than the buddy comedy dynamic is firmly in place.

If Daffy is utilized particularly nicely right here, it’s as a result of A. all of us have one pal like Daffy, the wildcard who’s endearing and embarrassing, and B. the plot leans on Daffy acknowledging how he overdoes every little thing and would higher reach life if he reconsiders his private strengths.

It’s a refreshingly trustworthy contact in a film that includes chewing gum that sprouts eyeballs.

Additionally, there’s a scene the place Daffy has a public breakdown and provides a ranting speech on stage, fully bare, which is so weird, humorous and precisely what you’d count on from him.

As of 2025, now we have but to see the shelved, reportedly great “Coyote Vs. Acme,” the shot in 2022, half dwell motion, half animated comedy starring John Cena, Will Forte and Wile E. Coyote (the latter is my favourite Looney Tunes character).

I hate that we could by no means see “Coyote Vs. Acme” (somebody, fairly please, drop it on MAX), however I’m delighted {that a} totally animated, totally loopy and devoted in spirit Looney Tunes film has arrived within the age of primarily CGI animated works.

I grew up relishing each time “The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Film” (1981) would play on HBO, however that movie (and those that adopted) have been largely a compilation of the most effective cartoons airing Saturday morning.

I nonetheless get pleasure from “Area Jam” however couldn’t stand the sequel.

Since “Coyote vs. Acme” is in some sort of company limbo (if it hasn’t been erased, as rumored, then it’s been indefinitely shelved, a preferable standing), then that is at present the most effective of the Looney Tunes films thus far.
Porky Pig and Daffy Duck carry this right into a sublimely foolish state of Nirvana.

Nevertheless, if it’s a success and one other Looney Tunes animated buddy comedy is introduced, I hope Warner Bros. Animation pairs up Yosemite Sam and Pepe Le Pew, two colourful weirdos who I’d fortunately watch in completely something.

Of all issues, this film made me consider how weird chewing gum is: it’s been round in some kind for hundreds of years and is an trade of creating flavored strips that we chew and discard when it turns into a sticky, stale mess.

Gum is a frequent grocery store impulse purchase for me. Why on Earth do we promote one thing that’s finest identified for showing undesirable and caught beneath a desk? Till I noticed how aliens use pink bubble gum on this film to attain their weird objectives, I don’t suppose I’ve ever thought a lot about gum in my life.

Thanks, Porky and Daffy.

Three Stars (out of 4)