Recentely saw The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. In it, Daffy Duck’s and Porky Pig’s quest to save their beloved home has them reluctantly landing a job at the Local bubble gum factory. Their first day on the job, they find themselves themselves entangled in an intergalactic plot for world domination via bubble gum.
A looney, loving send-up of classic sci-fi films like The Blob, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Thing (Armageddon and Night of the Living Dead even makes it in there, oddly enough). The animation is 2D/hand-drawn (with the exception of the spaceship), but tends to have a digital look to it. That said, there are plenty of inspired moments of animation that impress and delight.
The score is gorgeous, featuring plenty of riffs on “The Merry Go Round Broke Down” (aka the classic Looney Tunes theme song). It sounds similar to the types of music we’d get in a classic Looney Tunes short. The voice-acting is perfection. Our leads and even the background characters nail the classic Looney Tunes spirit.
Eric Bauza plays both Porky Pig and Daffy Duck. You won’t be able to tell it’s the same voice actor doing both characters, and Bauza excels at each. Peter MacNicol (aka Dr. Janosz Poha/Vigo’s henchman in Ghostbusters 2) voices The Invader and is highly entertaining and perfect as well. Apparently even Wayne Knight lent his voice, though I can’t seem to find exactly who he played. There are plenty of classic Looney Tunes gags that make it into the film as well (much to my delight).
If you are looking for other classic Looney Tunes characters, you’ve come to the wrong place. They don’t even make cameos or background appearances. The only other Looney Tunes character that’s featured is Petunia Pig. Luckily, all that’s small potatoes when the entire film does such a perfect job of capturing the tone, style, spirit, and insanity of our beloved childhood friends.
The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is a low-key miracle. If you are a fan of the Looney Tunes, a film nerd (especially so if you’re a sci-fi film nerd), or a lover of classic 2D hand-drawn animation, then The Day the Earth Blew Up is a gift meant for you. Buy a ticket, and enjoy the chaos.
5 STARS (YEAH, I WENT THERE!)