Matthew Percefull
Looney Tunes is one of the most recognizable brands in entertainment. For eight decades, these goofy little animals have charmed children and adults alike. With a slew of iconic characters that have remained relevant and a universal sense of humor, the Looney Tunes have their fingerprints all over pop culture. They’ve appeared alongside cultural icons such as Michael Jordan, and have even been the focus of a live action blockbuster attempt. With all of this previous notoriety and success within the medium of film, it’s easy to forget that these characters had quite humble beginnings. Before they played basketball in space, the Looney Tunes were the stars of many cartoon shorts. This dynasty was built from the much overlooked artform of animation. So, it’s perplexing that it took until 2025 for a fully animated theatrical Looney Tunes feature to be released. The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie has everything you would want in a Looney Tunes film.
With The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, we focus on iconic characters Daffy Duck and Porky Pig (both portrayed wonderfully by Eric Bauza). After a fun childhood, the two are thrust into adulthood and forced to get a job. Two Looney Tunes characters seeking employment go about as well as you would think. The duo is humorously fired from dozens of jobs before they finally land at a suspicious gum factory. Daffy starts to uncover a mind control conspiracy that threatens the world while Porky is caught up in a romance with Petunia Pig (voiced by Candi Milo) who also works at the plant. These two plots converge in a satisfying and hilarious finale where our silly trio of characters must rally together to save not only their town but the earth.
The science fiction bend to The Day The Earth Blew Up is a great touch. The mind control premise lends to some scenes that feel straight out of something like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The film goes a bit farther than you might expect. Looney Tunes is seen as a child-friendly brand, and for the most part this film matches that, but a few moments here can be frightening for a young child. There are mild instances of body horror here that, while not extreme, could alienate a certain percentage of its target audience. The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie tries its best to balance these elements with the lighthearted humor, and for the most part succeeds, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a few parents have to leave this film early with a crying child. The last act in particular is more thrilling and audacious than you might expect from an animated Looney Tunes film.
There’s a level of social commentary here that is unexpected but well conveyed. The societal critiques that it leaves aren’t anything new or revolutionary. The satire is about as subtle as a hammer to the head. However, this film has a younger audience in mind. The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie works perfectly as a “babies first satire” kind of narrative. The evil gum corporation and consumeristic citizens are comedic but pointed critiques. They don’t distract or weigh down anything, they elevate the movie. This clever satire makes this film memorable. You don’t have to do much to make these characters entertaining. Any simple story could’ve been easy money. I respect the filmmakers for taking a swing at something more layered.
There are two mediums that the Looney Tunes are famous for helping elevate; comedy and animation. The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie puts a huge spotlight on both. The animation is frantic and layered, every single frame has at least five things to notice in the background. Not a single second of screentime is wasted here. Even in moments where the story drags, the animation keeps you glued to the film. The written and verbal jokes here do hit quite often, but it’s the visual jokes that make this film humorous. The slapstick humor in this film is operating at a level I haven’t seen in a while. This film holds all of the whimsy and joy you’d want from a Looney Tunes film and then some.
The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is a bit more intimate than the apocalyptic title and premise may suggest. I went into this film expecting a big romp with dozens of cameos and references to the brands’ storied history. To my pleasant surprise, The Day The Earth Blew Up is a character-focused story about brotherhood, confidence, and the failures of capitalism. The relationship between Porky Pig and Daffy Duck is what makes this film work as well as it does. Sure, the humor and sci-fi elements add a lot to the narrative, but if they didn’t nail this central relationship, it would all be for nothing. Porky takes the logical older brother while Daffy is the source of most of the laughs. When Porky is forced to switch positions and listen to Daffy for once, we see the strength of this relationship. The addition of a love interest could throw a wrench in a story so focused on a duo, but Petunia Pig’s presence here just sweetens the pot more. She’s able to ground both characters a bit while still going along with the chaotic tone. The characters in this film are perfectly handled.
From beginning to end, The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is an entertaining callback to eight decades worth of iconography that doesn’t feel like redundant nostalgia bait. This is a must see for any fans of these characters of animation in general. It’s an inventive film that will entertain most children and parents alike. With Warner Bros controversially cancelling Coyote vs Acme and seemingly stepping back on the Looney Tunes in general, this film needs to be supported. The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is the type of film that becomes a cult classic. Let’s help it reach this status by supporting animated films.
