Space Jam: A New Legacy review – a messy Warner Bros advert
You might think cinematic crossovers are a modern invention, but 25 years ago two icons of entertainment met on the big screen. At the peak of his popularity, Michael Jordan starred in Space Jam, his one and only film role, opposite Bugs Bunny and The Looney Tunes.
The film was a box office hit, and perhaps more importantly to the studio generated over a billion dollars in merchandise sales. A follow-up has been planned for many years, but finally NBA great Lebron James steps up to the court for what he and the studio insist is not a sequel. So, what is it?
After a short scene featuring a fictional moment from the life of young Lebron, we get a montage charting his rise to the very peak of sporting greatness. While life is good on the court, James (playing himself) struggles to connect with his son Dom (Cedric Joe) who prefers video games. In an attempt to connect, he takes Dom along to a pitch for a movie simulation programme created by Al-G Rhythm (Don Cheadle), an algorithm desperate for acknowledgement.
When Lebron turns down the idea, Al is filled with rage and sucks father and son into his world, The ServerVerse, a place containing every Warner Bros character. Trapped in this virtual world, Lebron must win his freedom and his son back by playing a game of basketball. Luckily, he finds some help in the form of Looney Tunes.
Remake/sequel, reboot, it’s hard to tell what to make of this new film, because in truth it doesn’t know what it is. Original director Terence Nance was replaced by Malcolm D Lee weeks into filming due to creative differences, and if ever a film reeked of studio interference, it’s this. The world Lebron steps into is a bright, CGI drenched ad for Warner Bros’ world of intellectual properties. Literally, there are worlds that the characters pass through – Matrix World, WB Classics World, Harry Potter World, and of course Toon World. It’s not the first film to do it – the Lego movies and Ready Player One (all WB productions) had cameos from movies past. However, those moment were bonuses within an original plot. Here, it feels like you’re being sold the Warner back catalogue, in a film that reminds us of old hits but forgets to make a new one. Given that many will see this on the studio’s HBO Max service in The States, it seems particularly cynical.
There’s a reason Jordan only made one movie. As good and heartfelt as the original was, it succeeded by having talented performers act around MJ, meaning he really just had to react and be a star. Bill Murray and Wayne Knight were a big reason for the film working as well as it did.
Lebron isn’t the worst actor in the world, but it’s clearly not his strong suit and he doesn’t benefit from the same kind of help. He keeps pace with Bugs in the comedy moments, and it is helped with a large part of Space Jam being animated as they look to recruit their team. However, in live action, King James struggles with the more tender father-son moments. Cedric Joe is likeable as the son who just wants to be himself, while Cheadle goes full pantomime villain, flanked by NBA stars who are morphed into monsters.
As a kid’s films, it’s fine. Very young viewers will not care less about the wafer-thin plot, or the bombardment of effects. However, it’s very unlikely to remain in the hearts of fans for as long as Jordan’s film (incidentally, the Chicago Bulls legend does not show up in the film, and there’s only occasional references to the Looney Tunes having been in this situation before). The 1996 film was about self-belief, whereas this seems to be about corporate synergy.
Of course, it all climaxes with a headache-inducing basketball game which is more about short gags than sport (Porky Pig’s rap is painful). The crowd is made up of an odd mix of Warner owned characters: some you’d expect like Fred Flintstone, King Kong, and The Iron Giant. Others, not so much: Danny DeVito’s penguin, the characters from Mad Max: Fury Road, Baby Jane, Pennywise, and The Droogs from A Clockwork Orange are all cheering on The Tune Squad. It may mean nothing to anyone under 20, just some extras in funny costumes. However, movie aficionados in the audience will be a bit distracted to see infamous cinema rapists cameo in a family movie.
Ultimately, it’s all part of the messy proposition that is Space Jam: A New Legacy. It’s unlikely kids will get the references to Mad Max or The Matrix, and even some parents might struggle with the nods to Casablanca. As throws everything at the screen to try to appeal to everyone, this follow-up will struggle to enthral anyone.
Space Jam: A New Legacy is in cinemas now.