Entertainment

“Space Jam: A New Legacy” | A fun adventure to please all generations

Published

3 years ago

July 14, 2021

Launches this Thursday (15) the new adventure of Bugs Bunny and his friends with an NBA star. In Space Jam: A New Legacy, the Looney Tunes must team up with LeBron James to stop an artificial intelligence from deleting the cartoons and trapping little Don James in the virtual world. With the difficult mission of honoring the legacy of one of the most iconic films of the 1990s, Warner’s new venture manages to pay homage, sell its own universe, and entertain audiences of all ages.

When it was announced that a sequel to Space Jam: Game of the Century was in production, audiences were divided. Half were delighted, while the other half took a step back. It’s true, delving into the universe of this film was very risky. While not a hit with critics, the original feature film is widely loved for being the first contact of an entire generation with the Looney Tunes. He’s got personality, the humor is right, has the presence of the greatest basketball player of all time and brings an aesthetic that oozes the 1990s. So any mistake here could generate a resounding failure for the studio. Therefore, the creative team took great care to play with what has already been done and pay homage to the ’90s production, but without losing its essence and updating the Looney Tunes to replicate the aesthetic of the animations. of this transition between the 2010s and 2020s.

Speaking of narrative levels, the script structure of both productions is pretty much the same. The biggest difference is in the theme of the family, which plays a main role here, whereas in the first film it was a theme that was not used much. The relationship between LeBron and his son is key to the story, which is about learning to be a good father. In between, we have the Looney Tunes and the villainous Al-G. Rhythm (Don Cheadle), an artificial intelligence who suggests projects at Warner who lives with the frustration of not being recognized. He was probably the one who suggested the Suicide Squad. Anyway, he presents a plan to create a “LeBronVerso”, but the player thinks it’s a stupid idea and ends up ridiculing the computer. Angry Machine sucks LeBron and his son into Warner ServiVerso, where all of the studio’s franchises live in their little worlds, just like in OASIS, starting with player # 1. The NBA star’s son is a little one. genius of the video game, so soon come to an agreement with Al-G, who says he wants to improve his game design. LeBron, meanwhile, is sent to the “canceled” world, where he will have to put together a basketball team to beat Al-G in his own game in front of cameras around the world.

This is where a really cool point comes in. While the first film is a mix of 2D characters with the real Michael Jordan, LeBron ends up spending 80% of the adventure in the cartoon. It’s a great outlet for the acting project that the NBA star is trying to pull off. Poor guy, he might be fantastic on the pitch, but he’s too bad. It is even suggested that the film be dubbed, as the voice actor plays better than him. So, the LeBron cartoon plays with all the tricks a cartoon can get while going through various Warner franchises saving the Looney Tunes that were strewn about. And it’s really fun to see what a new world each character has chosen to live in. This part looks like a big HBO Max commercial, but the way they adapt the characters to other franchises by inserting their crazy personalities with their respective storylines is just great and will have audiences laughing.

Enjoy watching:

The other big plot highlight is the final 3D game, when all of the Warner ServiVerso characters come together to see the 21st Century Game, while LeBron and the Looney Tunes take on 3D form. When I saw them in the trailer, I thought it was weird seeing them like that, but it works well in the movie, mainly because of the game’s insane proposition. NerdLucks, but they also have the star talent of the NBA and WNBA, although they don’t stand out that much. And the game is different from the basketball that we are used to, being more focused on the world of games. In other words, even though the plot is very similar to the original, Um Novo Legado tries to bring in the aesthetics and signature elements of the past decade. It shows in the colors, in the soundtrack, in the references used, in the staging style and in the approach of the characters. In addition, of course, to the many quotes from the world of basketball. Anyone who has followed the NBA for the past 10 years will find a plate full of laughs in this movie.

Continuation or redesign?

One of the biggest questions about this movie is whether it would be a sequel to the original or a remake. So, while he doesn’t officially say a sequel, the characters cite the first movie in several jokes, including a fantastic Fourth Wall Breaking, quotes from the events of 1996, various uniforms dotted around the plot and even bring back. some characters from the original. It’s funny because they assume they’re characters from movies, even show the first movie poster and play with it, much like they did in Looney Tunes Back to Action (2003), but d ‘a less burlesque way. It’s like everyone knew about the first movie but didn’t talk about it directly because, well… it’s been 25 years since it happened. So, this is definitely a sequel that plays with the past without clinging to it.

Finally, Space Jam: A New Legacy is a beautiful tribute to the original and to Warner stories in general, but without losing its very essence, making it a portrait of the basketball, video games and cartoons of the last decade. It is very likely that 20 years from now, as lukewarm the reviews are, this feature film will be loved by future adults, who are now kids and will have their first contact with the Looney Tunes in this story. And if you’re a longtime fan of the franchise, you’re going to have a great time, because Space Jam: A New Legacy justifies each of the 25-year wait for the sequel. It’s likely an adventure that will be dated next year, just like the original was in its time, and that’s exactly what makes this sequel such a true, incredible, and fun representation of this entertainment’s entertainment. decade.