Space Jam (1996) User Reviews

milestone of childhood

[hedin_88 · 7/10 · 26 January 2013]

This movie has defined generations. Kids loved it because this dude who was a good sports player got to play with these loony tones which is what the movie was all about. Its not about MJ, its not about Bugs Bunny, its not about a deep storyline or memorable characters. Its about fun and cartoons,which barely ever make sense, if you remember. Its great fun for the young folks out there, with animation that really is worth watching. Its entertainment for the entire family, combining real life with cartoons as its never done before. I love it, ill always love it. Looks like i have to add a few lines for this review to be accepted and posted. I really have nothing else to add, go ahead and watch it without expecting nothing more than fun and entertainment and you will get far more then you expect.

The Movie of My Childhood, and Still Today.

[Zanman720 · 7/10 · 1 July 2013]

Arguably my favorite movie of All Time, Space Jam was an instant classic from the first time i laid eyes on it as an Infant. Even though you may not entirely understand everything that is going on in the movie at a Young age, it is still pretty easy to get into the movie.

Not spoiling anything in this movie in this Review..but i will say that even today it is an entertaining Movie that i will pick up here and there and still have a fun time watching. Such a simple storyline, yet enjoyable down the years. Michael Jordan, Looney Tunes, and your classic cartoon villains trying to take over.

This is just one of the Movies that, well...got me interested in movies. And that's why i gave it a 10. Not necessarily just because it was my favorite....it had a lot of elements that i simply enjoy. And on top of everything, its a movie about Basketball, which is something i'm passionate about.

In all honesty, when it comes right down to it. I can only say one thing. If you haven't seen this movie yet, or even haven't watched it in a while. Go pick it up. You'll find yourself having a very entertaining time. Guaranteed.

Silly but hard to dislike

[preppy-3 · 7/10 · 2 April 2008]

Movie about Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes characters (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Roadrunner etc etc). An evil animated monster runs Moron Mountain--a planet with an amusement park. They need a new ride so he sends five helpers to Earth to kidnap the Looney Tunes characters. Then they can be used as a new act at the amusement park. Bugs and the others agree--IF they play them in a basketball game and win. Bugs and the others convince Michael Jordan to help them--but the aliens have evil plans up their sleeve.

Michael Jordan meets the Looney Tunes. Sounds like a sure recipe for disaster. I was positive this film was going to be a bomb when it was released (with HEAVY publicity) in 1996. Yes--it's silly but if you love Looney Tunes (like I do) you'll probably love this. The characters are treated (more or less) respectfully and during the climatic basketball game the stands are full of every Warner Bros. cartoon character ever made. One small mouse character who talks nonstop I remembered from childhood and I literally broke up laughing when he appeared! The animation is just great, the merging of live action with cartoon figures works and the script is fun. There are groaners and stupid lines but, all in all, it was pretty amusing.

The debits: Michael Jordan just can't act. I'm sure he was a wonderful basketball player but his acting was as wooden as a basketball court. Also various other sports figures pop up and prove they're worse actors than Jordan! Bill Murray (who can be good) is just lousy in a supporting role. And Wayne Knight is just SO annoying. Also I could have lived without seeing the Warner Bros. logo popping up everywhere. At one point it's on Daffy Duck's butt...and he kisses it! And there's a brief take-off on "Pulp Fiction" which isn't as funny now as it was in 1996. So, these things lessen the movie but don't destroy it. Worth catching if you're a Warner Bros. animation fan. Kids will love it. I give it a 7.

Nostalgia

[MB-reviewer185 · 6/10 · 15 July 2021]

This movie is filled with nostalgia all the way back to 1996, back when having live action in an animated environment was mind blowing.

The looney tunes are entertaining and Michael Jordan isn't that bad, the animation on the looney tunes weren't that bad either for 1996.

This movie is just an interesting, fun and entertaining watch for the people who want to see the looney tunes.

It's got game

[Op_Prime · 25 September 2000]

Space Jam is a very enjoyable movie featuring probably the most popular cartoon characters ever. The plot may seem rather weak to you and me, but let's not forget that this movie was made for children. Space Jam has all the humor of the classic shorts that made us love Bugs, Daffy and all the rest. Michael Jordan actually wasn't that bad in this movie, considering he is not a professional actor. Bill Murray was very hilarious. Thumbs up on this one.

"That's all folks!"

I actually liked this as a kid and I still do even though I didn't see it in a long time.

[lisafordeay · 7/10 · 30 April 2014]

Space Jam is a 1996 live action/animated sports comedy combines animation and it tells the story of a basketball player named Micheal Jordan(as himself)who is on the verge of retiring from the game and is now doing baseball instead. However when he gets sucked into a golf course while playing golf he ends up in the Looney Tunes world and is accompanied with Bugs Bunny who wants Micheal Jordan to play basketball with him and his other Looney Tunes companions as a bunch of aliens(one voiced by Danny De Vito) stole Micheal Jordan's teammates abilities by using a magical basketball and the aliens are now bigger and stronger than the Looney Tunes. So can they win the basketball game and Jordan can go back to the real world again and give back his teammates their abilities again?

Overall this movie you can say is sort of a life story of Micheal Jordan's life as a basketball player as you see real life photos of him as a kid and his playing basketball with his father as a kid(played by some young actor) at the beginning of the movie before you hear the Space Jam intro.

Final Verdict I really liked this movie as a kid and I still love it to this day. The movie has a great soundtrack from Seal's Fly Like An Eagle to R Kelly's I Believe I Can Fly, to even Basketball Jones with Barry White ft Chris Rock. Let's hope the sequel is going to be good.

Overall im giving it a 7.

Hit em high (low)

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 16 July 2021]

What a soundtrack ... I just rewatched this to be ready for the new one ... and wow! I was quite blown away by all the songs on this, that I almost had forgotten about too. I've watched the new one too and while for me MJ is the one (you can feel differently about that, we can have different feelings on who is the GOAT, it's all good), when it comes to acting ... well LeBron is better for sure.

That being said, in a movie like this, there is not much you have to do acting wise. What I did like is that MJ does not take himself too seriously. While he has serious moments in there - the sub story with his dad, that I am certain was very important to him - maybe not so important to viewers who are unaware, but it's a nice touch for sure - overall this is a funny affair.

Add to that some really good actors who have some hits and misses with their jokes (I love Bill Murray, but certain scenes did not age well) - of course this completely ridiculous story (or shall I say ... "looney"?) is aimed at a younger audience. A now maybe grown up audience that went ahead and watched the new one with their kids. It's been 25 years since this was released.

There is some lessons to be learned here ... but overall you should watch it with a grain of salt .. and a lot of suspension of disbelief.

A cult classic, right place and right time.

[pootc · 7/10 · 17 July 2021]

A cult classic, right place and right time.

Basketball legend and global icon Michael Jordan is thrust into the world of Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes to defend their freedom in a basketball game against the maniacal Mr. Swackhammer and his team of Monstars who have stolen the talent from NBA Superstars.

That's all plotwise folks, it's no masterpiece and goes for only 87 minutes but it is original, funny and has a fantastic soundtrack.

Michael jordan is no actor but he's very endearing and he's backed up with the comedic talents like Wayne Knight and Bill Murray along with some other great cameos from the NBA landscape.

"Spacejam" is a good time for families and basketball fans alike.

90's cult!

[fabio-albe · 8/10 · 4 January 2015]

Film unmissable. MJ and Bugs Bunny together in a fun and film unique: the films of my childhood. Despite the years watching Space Jam is always nice, because there are few films that can merge reality with the 'animation. Moreover, the presence of a legend sports like Michael Jordan makes this movie a must for any basketball fan, also the film is full of quotations and sports references that make it a real gem. The story is very simple but well managed: a group of aliens to steal players NBA their talent, by doing so challenge mj and looney tunes in Basketball: at stake is the freedom of the animated characters and Legend of the Chicago Bulls.

I Was Entertained

[Theo Robertson · 6/10 · 26 February 2005]

I notice a lot of people have very few kind words to say about SPACE JAM . I must admit that being a Scot I have little interest in basketball and know very little of the career of Michael Jordan ( Who's Michael Jordan ? ) but I still found this movie to be fair entertainment . I guess a lot of people dislike this movie because Mr Jordan played for such and such a basketball team

A bunch of evil aliens invade Looney Tunes World and cast the cartoon characters into slavery and it's left to a sports legend to save them ! Come on guys , plots don't come anymore original than that so what's there to dislike ? We also have a subplot of the aliens interfering with other basketball players which did cause some amusement to this audience member . Also very enjoyable were the number of cameos that crept up through the movie , most notably Bill Murray

Okay I wouldn't say SPACE JAM is as great as WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT but it's still an entertaining family movie regardless of how you feel about sport . With this in mind I'm totally puzzled why my local ITV station decided to broadcast it at 1.10 am !

It's just a dumb movie.

[BustedBlock · 4/10 · 31 December 2020]

This movie was really something else. The film had some pretty awkward acting from MJ, a not very interesting plot (imo), and it was real hell bent on sexualizing a rabbit (Lola). I know this movie has its fans but I am not one of them.

Simply Fun

[Rebochan · 10/10 · 23 June 2001]

If you're looking for intelligent, high-brow comedy...what is WRONG with you, this is a LOONEY TUNES MOVIE! Sheesh...this film is nothing outstanding, but it is simply fun. I'm sure that Michael Jordan enjoyed star billing, but as is usually the case when your co-star is a cartoon rabbit with more than 50 years of experience behind him (and one of the best catch phrases in cinema), he is up-staged by Bugs Bunny. Oh, not to say that Jordan turned in a poor performance. Thank goodness this guy at least seems to have a good sense of humor.But there's some simple, pure enjoyment in watching this film. I got a kick out of the big basketball game, and found the sequence with Bugs and Daffy retrieving Michael's lucky boxers to be a riot. Yea, the plot is pretty hare-brained ('scuse me, Bugs...duck-brained;D), but it's nothing unworthy of Looney Tunes. Don't ever forget that-this is a Looney Tunes film. They got away with using anything for a plot, and this movie is in the same tradition. It's like asking a movie about Beavis and Butthead to be artful and dramatic. Looney Tunes represent the goofy side of animation, and this film adheres well to that philosophy. I recommend this for any fan of Looney Tunes...oh yea, if your a sports fan, you should enjoy it too. I, a mild basketball fan, really enjoyed myself.

Yes, I know this movie has some bugs, but it's still my Jam! It's a guilty pleasure of mine!

[ironhorse_iv · 6/10 · 21 May 2017]

There's been a lot of variations of the classic Looney Tunes characters over the years, but the 1990s reincarnation has caused the most controversy, due to its bloated use of commercialism marketing. There is no bigger example of that, than 1996's 'Space Jam' directed by Joe Pytka; a giant glorified marketing ploy to sell Looney Tunes toys and Air Jordans. It was no surprise that the feature-length movie was like that, seeing how a series of Nike commercials starring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny in the early 1990s, was the source that spark the idea for this movie. Despite that, I still kinda like this movie. I didn't mind the commercialism style as much as others, maybe, because this obviously produce placement film did had somewhat of interesting story. Don't get me wrong, on the surface level, Michael Jordan teaming up with the Looney Tunes to face cartoony aliens in a basketball game, in order to save them from slavery in an intergalactic amusement park is indeed ridiculous & somewhat stupid. However, there seem to be, some thought provoking, undercurrents themes, running through this fictional film that could had been great. Let's start with father & son dramatics that the beginning of the film established! It was very heartfelt. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't do anything with that, as the relationship with his father is never brought up, again. I think the movie could be better, if the film explore their relationship more, because we know from real life, that Jordan retired from the NBA to pursue the dream of his late father who was murdered in 1993, who had always envisioned his son as a baseball player. Sadly, the film doesn't give that exposition, making the baseball subplot, more out of the blue. Just think if they did, there would be a great conflict for his character, as Jordan tries to honor his late father's wishes, despite, not being any good in the sport, while also trying to fight the urge to play basketball, again, so that he can make a living for his family due to financial problems. I guess, mentioning Jordan father's death was too dark for this 1990s kid movie, but just think, if this film had a little more 'balls'. It would give this film, a little more stakes. Also, I wish, the movie gave a better reason, why Jordan was helping the Tunes, besides the villains bullying the tunes and him. Honestly, the movie could had intermixed, Jordan's children, a lot better with the Looney Tunes basketball plot, by having them, be abducted by the aliens and taken to Moron Mountain after Bugs seek his help. It would add some really needed stakes. Yes, I know, the kidnapped plot would be clichés, but it's better than the pointless scene, that we got of them, helping Bugs Bunny (Voiced by Billy West) & Daffy Duck (Voiced by Dee Bradley Baker), search for basketball shorts. All of these ideas, would help make Jordan, feel less drywall than he is, in this movie. Without it, Jordan's bad acting is more noticeable, due to his limitedly. I would rather see him, attempt being dramatic, than seeing him, such a square in this film. Despite that, I have to say, the animation department at Warner Bros did a great job, making it seem like Jordan was really interacting with the Looney Tunes. In the field of animation, the film is almost in par, with 1988's 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'. Still, I wish the humor in this film could be, a little bit better. Don't get me wrong, the movie does have some funny moments, but there's some off-color humor, that didn't need to be there. Also, some of the slapstick jokes, during the game were a little too childish for Looney Tunes. In the end, I just wish, the movie could had play more on the satire part of the cartoon series, more. One miss opportunity was making fun of the concept of Moron Mountain. It would had been entertaining to see the Looney Tunes poke fun at the idea of selling their souls out for an amusement park. It could had a Six Flags/Marriot Park vibe to it. Regardless of the lack of satire humor, Looney Tunes characters were amusing. However, I wish the filmmaker gave new character, Lola Bunny (Voiced by Kath Soucie), a little more personality, than being a token objectified hot rabbit. She seem a bit one-dimensional. Anyways, I have to say, the voice acting for the tunes, is pretty damn accurate to the original voice actors. As for the live acting actors; Bill Murray's cameo was indeed a highlight. The deadpan, don't give an f*ck attitude to the animated madness going on around him provide some of the biggest laughs, toward the end. However, surprising, it was the other professional basketball players that takes the cake for best jokes. Seeing the players going through series of embarrassing moments was pretty hilarious. I can't say, the same with Wayne Knight as Stan Podolak, whom comes across, as too annoying for his own good. The numerous close shots with him, made me, want to turn off the movie. As for the number of NBA stock footage, quickly being flash during the credits. I didn't mind it, but I can understand, if somebody get really ill. That sequence was indeed, seizure epilepsy due to how photosensitive, it was. Still, that upbeat rap by Quad City DJ that came with it, was pretty awesome. The other songs in the soundtrack like 'I Believe I can Fly' by R. Kelly & "Fly like An Eagle' By Seal was equally as extraordinary. I hope the rumor sequel with LeBron James has songs, just as memorable as the original. Overall: Even with its flaws, Space Jam, for better or for worse, is just so outrageous, you can't help, being drawn to it. I just can't help, loving it. It's just one of those movies.

Big Macs for life

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 3/10 · 29 May 2004]

How any critic can call Looney Tunes: Back in Action an exercise in franchise promotion but not puke at the 80-minute commercial that is Space Jam is beyond me.

Our plot has Danny Devito play the voice of an evil, monster type businessman who's theme park is failing. In desperation he sends 5 little creatures to capture the Looney Tunes and bring them back as the new attraction.

So...where is Looney Tune land? Apparently it's underground. And digging up any golf ball hole will eventually lead to it. When the Looney Tunes challenge the would-be kidnappers to a basketball game they kidnap Michael Jordan to be on their team.

The quality of the film nosedives from here on. Jordan's acting is so wooden it's mahogany. He expresses no confusion, joy or surprise at being yanked into Looney Tune land and confronted by all the toons. 'Bugs Bunny you're a cartoon you're not real', he says in the most flat, boring and dullest way (missing commas intended as he doesn't use them).

And then the big game follows. Once it's over, and there's no reason left to continue watching, the film goes on for another 10 minutes (to beef the running time up 'feature length') with the basketball/Jordan story. It's rubbish.

It's no surprise that the film is directed by Joe Pytka (he's NOT Joe Dante that's for sure), a man who has never done any other features but over a 1000 TV ads, or something. Space Jam is nowt but 100% proof Warner whored out their most famous creation to make a few quick, and cheap, bucks. It's heartbreaking, heinous stuff.

Casting Michael Jordan alongside the Looney Tunes is not inspired and imaginative. It's crass and desperate. Now they can attract sports fans AND kiddies. And Michael Jordan of all people! He's not a good actor and his fame outside of the U.S. is minimal to say the least. Moreso today.

The only part of the film that comes (very, very remotely) close to the true spirit of the Looney Tunes is the score. James Newton Howard (a truly bizarre choice, how about Jerry Goldsmith, Bruce Broughton or even Danny Elfman) recognizes the classic Looney Tunes themes and uses them appropriately in certain moments but the rest of the score is generic and uninspired.

Back in Action was intelligent, witty and satirical. Space Jam is corny, cheap and classless. It's an absolute travesty. How can we honestly take seriously a movie that has every cast member awe at Michael Jordan, has not too subtle product placement for McDonalds and has the Looney Tunes (one of the most ingenious creations in history) exploited in the most shameless and guilt free manner. With Space Jam, Warner showed that they'd cash in the Looney Tunes at a pawn shop for $5 if they could. A total lack of respect for Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng and Robert McKimson.

And they don't even act Looney. The only laughs come from Bugs and Daffy. And it's sporadic and inconsistent. Producer Ivan Reitman (who has no experience and no business with this franchise) managed to convince Bill Murray to appear in this drek (for about 10 minutes) so the trailer could boast an ACTUAL star other than Jordan. Murray's performance is the bare minimum and has a let's-get-this-over-with feel (though Murray working below-par is still miles ahead of many other actors at the top of their game). His appearance in the film is massively oversold.

It's just not fair that THIS is a big hit while Back In Action flopped horribly. I consider it the biggest miscarriage in justice ever. I still blame the marketing for Back in Action. It was bad, REAL bad. But still has some sort of quiet dignity about it when compared to the McDonalds promoted, in your face junk that was Space Jam's marketing. Is it any wonder Joe Dante had Back In Action nicknamed 'The Anti-Space Jam movie'?

And just what the hell is a Space Jam anyway? It's not even set in Space!!!

It took Warner 3 tries but the finally released the movie in its original aspect ratio. The DVD presents the film is 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with pretty active Dolby 5.1 sound. There are loads of features but they are all fluff. Some 80's Looney Tunes shorts are included too.

Good cartoon with plenty for adults – more than just selling products

[bob the moo · 30 December 2002]

A group of aliens arrive in Loony Tune world and challenge the inhabitants to a battle for the ownership of that world. Seeing the aliens are tiny, Bugs Bunny decides a game of basketball should be easily won. However the aliens steal the talent from several NBA players and look set to win easily. However Bugs and Daffy kidnap Michael Jordan and ask for his help.

At the time of release I must admit that I wasn't keen on seeing this film as the whole merchandising thing had left me with a sour taste in my mouth, putting me off the film. Happy Meals and such were everywhere! Later I saw it on TV, away from all the hype and found it enjoyable but not great. The plot is silly, but who cares – it's a cartoon. The comedy is good and has plenty for kids with the cartoon characters doing cartoon things, but also for adults. The film is full of in-jokes for adults ranging from a 3 second spoof of Pulp Fiction to some really funny lines – `oh great, no one told me Dan Aykroyd was in this film' when Bill Murray makes an appearance, was my favourite. Also as a big basketball (and Knick) fan it was fun to have tonnes of basketball stars make fun of themselves as well.

However it is a cartoon at heart and I imagine that those who don't like pratfalls etc and aren't basketball fans won't be laughing all the time. Also, surprisingly for Jordan's first film, the basketball action is pretty poor. I know it didn't have to be realistic but the great man is amazing enough in action without giving him amazing rubber arms etc with special effects.

Jordan is good and is a better actor than others I've seen, but he is only playing himself and not that naturally either! The support cast is where the money is and they all work well. Whether it be the cartoon characters or adults they all do what they have to. De Vito is funny and Randle is sexy but as usual Murray steals each and every scene he is in!

Overall this manages to be more than a sales drive for Happy Meals (although the McDonalds product placement is a bit tasteless – hey! Just like the burgers!) and is an enjoyable film. The kids will be happy with the cartoon element and most adults will like the in-jokes and the NBA players making jokes at their expense.

Silly and somewhat juvenile, but entertaining for what it is

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 21 February 2010]

I notice that there are people who like "Space Jam", but others who don't so much. While I think it has flaws, I think it is an entertaining and energetic film, not as good as "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "Looney Tunes:Back in Action" but an entertaining movie for Looney Tunes and basketball lovers(I admit I am more of a Looney Tunes fan). The story is a very nice idea, but there were parts when it was rather juvenile, likewise with some of the dialogue. Michael Jordan is a great athlete, and his skills are put to great use, but his acting isn't as impressive, it seems as though he is playing himself at times. Flaws aside, it is very funny with some great jokes and constant energy, and excellent supporting characters. Bill Murray, wearing clothes that you shouldn't ideally wear on a golf course, steals every scene he's in, and Danny DeVito is great fun as evil Swackhammer. The Looney Tunes are hilarious, especially Daffy, and technically with all the radiant colours the film works wonders. Overall, I like "Space Jam", it isn't Oscar worthy material, but it is fun to watch. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Can you still watch even after decades? Yes.

[prietoheitor · 7/10 · 16 January 2021]

For those who watch the Looney Tunes from before, you may even like the plot that focuses on something simpler and more infatilooid, enough to entertain only the youngest and a story full of charisma with very characteristic classic characters, without even needing Michael Jordan be the highlight of the scenes because that wouldn't even be necessary.

I finally figured out why this movie has so many mixed reviews

[cte18 · 7/10 · 11 June 2021]

I've been wondering why I've seen so many people love and hate Space Jam. I watched this movie (again) just to see what is going on with the whole controversy here.

So before I break this movie down, I want to talk about some previous media between Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes gang. Looney Tunes have been known for their hilarious golden age cartoons since 1930 with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Wil E Coyote, Road Runner, Foghorn Leghorn, Sylvester, Tweety, Granny, Marvin, Pepé Lepew, Speedy Gonzales, Taz, and several more here and there. They are basically the start of classic cartoon gags and humor along with Walt Disney's original cartoons. Looney Tunes never had an actual "movie" until this came out. After all the golden age Looney Tunes cartoons ending around the 60s, they made several anthology television shows putting all the classic cartoons together for television reruns like The Bugs Bunny Show, The Sylvester and Tweety Show, The Bugs and Daffy Show, and like so much more as the years continued replaying these cartoons every day on the television networks. And personally that worked well. But then by the late 70s they started making Looney Tunes movies but unfortunately they were not movies. They were just anthology films that were theatrically released where the people at Warner Bros recycle certain Looney Tunes cartoons into a full feature length film with very little newly animated footage. And I personally didn't see the point of those even for its time knowing all those cartoons were already reruns on television for the past 20+ years. But anyway, by the early 90s there were a few expensively animated commercials of Looney Tunes with Michael Jordan advertising the new Jordan shoes everyone loved back then, and even to this day if I'm not wrong. So because the commercials were so popular, Warner Bros for some reason decided to make it a whole movie and with the Looney Tunes all together in full movie footage.

This is basically the Looney Tunes movie, but not exactly "Looney Tunes" in every second of the production. It's also about Michael Jordan and his basketball career. This movie's plot is simply Michael Jordan decides to retire from basketball and to continue his sports career playing baseball like his dad wanted. Meanwhile in outer space there's a planet where the monstars live who are losing business at their fair and find out about the Looney Tunes who can take over. They steal Michael's friend's powers and hold the Looney Tunes hostage to make them their slaves for entertainment and decide to compete in a basketball game to make them go or not. Because they can't play basketball very well, they find Michael Jordan and bring him to their universe from the center of earth. They all come together and practice while Bill Murray and Stan search for him back in "3D land". Eventually they go to the basketball tournament to make their final play-off between the Monstars and the Toon Squad. And then at the end with enough heart for the game, the Toon Squad wins and defeats the monstars and give back Jordan's friend's sports strength. Jordan then returns back to his world at the baseball game with the heart he needed from basketball.

So my thoughts on the plot personally can understand why this is loved and hated. Personally to me, it's okay. Not very good but not very bad either. The story is definitely weird. But what keeps the story from being hated by everybody is the fact that this movie does provide some of the Looney Tunes humor and that it also has a simply good message even if you're not a fan of basketball. And for any people who like both, sports and Looney Tunes, will basically find this to be their dream movie seeing it as a crossover.

So the positives of the writing in this movie isn't much honestly but it's nothing to really get angry about. Because another thing, a Looney Tunes movie is kind of impossible to pull off (which probably explains the 5-6 anthology movies they made beforehand). There really wasn't much at all to work with in the making of this film in the whole process of writing. Looney Tunes were mainly known for their classic cartoonish humor for the simplest jokes that can be produced over and over. And every cartoon focused on usually one to five characters at the most. So when making a theatrical movie that's actually a "movie", all the writers were forced to include every single Looney Tunes character (including the side characters you wouldn't see very often) into an hour and a half running time in some kind of movie story. But of course, they also decided to include the plot with Michael Jordan which I admit is a lot less necessary when it could've just been a movie about an adventure with only the Looney Tunes in their own universe. So yeah, the idea of this movie is definitely unnecessary. This is basically what started all the live-action animation hybrid films that don't do well with the live-action, but it has some executions. As I said, most of the Looney Tunes characters are still in character and have their cartoonish moments, the monstars actually aren't so bad for this movie, the final scene goes on for a while but it gives some pleasure to how Looney the Looney Tunes really are to win in a basketball tournament, and there is a message basically saying that you are capable of doing anything if you try and to not give up. I think the message works well enough especially for kids who watch this movie. The one thing I really didn't understand however was the fact the Looney Tunes universe was literally at the center of the earth, like didn't Who Framed Roger Rabbit explain a place called ToonTown? And of course Lola Bunny basically being the new Looney Tunes character that originally wasn't supposed to appear in any future media after this movie if I'm correct. Lola Bunny is alright here, I'm not a weirdo like many viewers that think she's so "hot" or whatever, her and Bugs are cute together, and that's all that matters.

Now let's talk about the animation. If you don't know this of course the second live-action animation hybrid feature film off of Warner Bros characters, the first was in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. But here, I actually was surprised at how well animated everything is. The animation is super-theatrically done here and actually improves the animation from Roger Rabbit with more 3D shading and effects like never before! The backgrounds in the Looney Tunes world look so 3D with all the characters. The monstars planet was made in CGI with all the monstars characters in hand-drawn form and it actually feels like the highest animation budget from the 90s all together! The animators definitely deserve credit, the Looney Tunes are captured very bouncy and cartoony everywhere they are in the most mind-blowing animation I've ever seen honestly. For the 90s this animation is actually quite remarkable.

Now for all the acting in this movie. So first of all, the entire voice cast of the Looney Tunes and the monstars are all on-point. I was surprised Jeff Bergman wasn't here to do Bugs however, instead we had Billy West. But he actually sounds pretty good for the role! Dee Bradley Baker also voiced Daffy surprisingly and Kath Soucie was the voice of Lola Bunny. So anyway, now for the live-action actors, this like many others, I wasn't a fan of at all. Michael Jordan, Bill Murray, and Wayne Knight are okay at acting, I actually like how Michael Jordan is normally chill even when he meets cartoons for the first time because I mean, he's Michael Jordan guys. They didn't need much more out of him. The rest of the cast other than the boy who played 10-year old Michael from 23 years earlier don't do very good here. I felt like mostly Michael's friends and even his kids in this movie didn't really know what they were doing. Why aren't his kids excited when they meet Bugs and Daffy in the middle of the night? And also why is Bill and Stan not freaked out by the fact Michael was sucked into the golf hole? And why is everyone else in this movie feel so boring? I mean I basically ignored a bit of the live-action scenes with Michael's friends doing stuff but the acting definitely could've been worked on with them. There's even a dog in this movie that's lowkey green-screened for some reason. I don't know why. But I guess everyone in this movie is just too aware that the cartoon characters have been living underground and are very used to them like it wasn't the first time they've met them before.

The soundtrack is actually fun, we get a whole soundtrack that executes the movie's score with exciting songs like "I Believe I Can Fly" "Fly Like An Eagle" and even the Space Jam theme provided in the beginning made this feel a lot more fun and well executed in a strange way. And I really love Seal's cover of Fly Like An Eagle it sounds like a 90's update of the original by Steve Miller Band.

So I figured out the whole controversy, some fans say that it's basically not very Looney being just a complete overhyped cashgrab, and some say that it's a childhood gem. In my opinion, Space Jam is a strange and very imperfect movie with Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes, but it's not as bad as many critics have said it is. Just note that it's atleast a Looney Tunes movie that has not-so-good acting, a strange sports crossover, and not your average Looney Tunes feature length adventure, but it also isn't just stitching recycled Looney Tunes together that we've seen so many times, it's even providing some interesting humor, and some groundbreakingly fluid animation you'll probably never see again. And if you like basketball, then this movie is even better for you.

7 for nostalgia

[ashgdman · 7/10 · 3 January 2021]

Never not bad to watch. Like visiting some old friends, I don't even think the animation vs the human portion is bad, even now in 2020.

Authentic fun on everyone's behalf

[StevePulaski · 8/10 · 7 February 2016]

NOTE: This film was recommended to me by Ryan Clevenger for "Steve Pulaski Sees It."

Living in Illinois, Space Jam is a film that hits the tender spots of the last two generations; one generation that got to experience Michael Jordan's unfathomable legacy as arguably the greatest basketball player who ever lived, and the other, mine, that reflects on his legacy through highlights and documentaries to keep the memory of such an all-star alive. Jordan's legacy didn't stop at on-court talent, as he was one of the most marketed athletes of his time and helped popularize the NBA, let alone the Chicago Bulls, on a previously unforeseen international level.

If we remove the nostalgia factor from Space Jam, which is a very difficult thing to do by the way, then the film serves as Jordan's versatility. After retiring from the NBA at a relatively young age to pursue a career in baseball, Jordan only became more of a fascinating person, in addition to someone with impeccable charisma. Space Jam exists as a response to Jordan's departure from the NBA to the MLB, as the Looney Tune gang of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Porky Pig, and Lola Bunny all call Jordan out of retirement when they challenge a group of intergalactic invaders from "Moron Mountain" to a basketball game in exchange for the planet.

The Looney Tunes thing this will be an easy win, until the aliens from Moron Mountain, who are relatively puny in size and strength, find a way to steal the talents of star basketball players like Charles Barkley and Larry Johnson and become the "Monstars" of the court. Meanwhile, Jordan agrees to play for the Looney Tunes team, but it takes all of the five minutes of practice to show that the team is disproportionately talented towards Jordan. As a result, the team indulges in some aggressive training tactics to beat the Monstars and save the planet.

As an amalgamation of live-action and animation, especially in an age where Pixar was coming on the scene and traditional animation was soon to be phased out, Space Jam is bright and vivid. The real-life characters of Michael Jordan, Wayne Knight, who has an amusing role, like he always does, Larry Bird, and even Bill Murray's interactions with the animated characters of Bugs Bunny and the like in a convincing, believable manner. The result is a beautifully colored and nicely executed mix of whimsy.

Because both worlds of reality and animation are explored here, Space Jam has the luxury of being a film that can go beyond traditional boundaries of a sports film, and the Looney Tunes are no better characters to incite such zaniness. The animated bunch are quick-witted and ecstatic, and Jordan is clearly doing this for fun and excitement rather than a phoned-in project or another endorsement. Had Space Jam been more of a lackluster cash-in, sports fans and Jordan fans would've seen it from a mile away and dismissed the film immediately. However, because everyone involved recognizes what a zany project this is, they don't try to fight the lunacy, but instead, play along, and that provides us, the audience, with a wickedly entertaining stride into a lively sports film that is so fun you almost, almost miss the clichéd underdog element.

Starring: Michael Jordan, Wayne Knight, Bill Murray, and Larry Bird. Directed by: Joe Pytka.

Best bad movie

[nyarnebbanot · 7/10 · 20 November 2020]

This movie is meant for kids and adolescence who love Ballin' and Looney Tunes.

PLOT Michael Jordan gets Isekai'd to the cartoon world where he must challenge a basketball tournament with the Looney Tunes against a group of evil Aliens or be enslaved. Space Jam is a fun cute movie with lots of comedy and action. The aliens are really overpowered to as they turn giant. But the Tunes conquer them anyway.

EFFECTS Space Jam takes advantage of compositing 2D cartoon characters with live actors and it works well enough. Sometimes there are 3D effects that are bad. This movie will turn your kids into furries however because this movie has one large chested bunny rabbit named Lola. You will love this entire cast.

SOUND Quad City DJ's serenade the BGM and you will love the cast.

Even if you are not into basketball you will enjoy this film. There is nothing really more to it.

A Shameful Mention

[johnnymyman-68540 · 1/10 · 12 July 2017]

What on earth were Warner Brothers thinking making this monstrosity of a movie called Space Jam? The director/producer should've been either bankrupt, or fired a very, very, very long time ago. This trainwreck of a movie has such a pointless plot, Wayne Knight was such an embarrassment in this movie, because all he did in this movie, was act so annoying and stupid. At least 3 years after, he had redeemed himself by doing the voice of Al, from Toy Story 2, I mean it's as simple as that. Bill Murray was an unnecessary choice for the movie, the villains were weak and pathetic, and Michael Jordan I understand he is a great basketball player, but he makes a terrible actor with this movie. Dr. Swackhammer was an annoying and a unimaginative villains in film history, the Nerdlucks don't even look like aliens at all, instead they look more like cockroaches that I could step on, and when they turn into Monstars, it doesn't get better, instead, it gets worse, because the Monstars are one of the weakest and most pathetic names ever for a basketball team along with the ToonSquad. And the Looney Tunes characters looks like that it comes from one of the Happy Meal boxes, and looks like bunches of ugly caricatures, and worse, the voice- acting sounds different, and doesn't even connect to the original Looney Tunes. That is a very bad excuse for Looney Tunes, and that's just shameful. It even makes the voices of Fanboy & Chum-Chum were slightly better than this. And also, not to mention, the two worst Looney Tunes characters are Tweety and Lola Bunny, I mean, why did those two had to appear in this trainwreck of a movie? This makes me wanna hate this movie even more, because not only are Tweety and Lola Bunny's the worst Looney Tunes characters ever, they are the most annoying cartoon characters ever, almost as annoying as Dora The Explorer. And not only that, there was a seen where they ripped-off one of the scenes from Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland. Also, the jokes in it is absolutely miserable. It has no real jokes at all, all it is just a bunch of wretched jokes that makes one feel disgusted every time they here a cringeworthy jokes from this movie. This movie should've won some Razzie Awards for being the worst movie ever. The animation is horrible, the jokes are pathetic, the characters are annoying, the plot is repugnant, and the music is also suckish. This is the worst Looney Tunes ever next to Tweety's High-Flying Adventure that I had ever seen in my entire life. It's even worse than Shrek Forever After, which that sequel is bad, but not as bad as Space Jam. This movie will only entertain little kids and younger, and frustrates adults. This is one of those family films that you should stay away, if you wanna watch a much better family film, watch Ferdinand and The Greatest Showman. But, STAY, AWAY, from Space Jam, it is a terrible film. I give this movie a 1/10. Looney Tunes Back In Action was bad, but I will admit, it's not as bad as Space Jam, Space Jam is just a horrible excuse, and it just feels like a preschool affair.

Ignore the haters. This movie is great.

[prestonwardcondra · 10/10 · 22 September 2015]

God only knows how many times I have seen this movie when I was a kid. To this day in 2015, Space Jam is commonly aired on the Rock & Roll Picture Show on VH1. A very quotable movie that every person like me growing up in the 90's loved.

"We need your HEEEELLP!!!" and "Don't every call me...doll." and "Your secret stuff."

It's perfect all ages. I loved watching this movie when I was only 3 years old when it came out. Toddlers will enjoy the cartoony characters coming to life and everything is bright and colorful.

I seriously can't think of one bad flaw about this movie.

Nothing is subjective or offensive. There's no lame farting or waffle jokes (looking at you Teen Titans Go) and nothing is dumb-downed for adults to get sick of. And I think that's part of the reason why people still casually watch it 20 years later.

I'll explain my 10 star rating. How many sports movies out there do you know are marketed for kids?

I loved this movie back in 1997 and I still love it in 2015.

Ignore the haters. This movie is fantastic.

A movie I'll make my kid watch so he subliminally decides to get into basketball

[tastyhotdogs · 6/10 · 19 February 2006]

I saw this at the cinemas when it came out with a bunch of my homies...a scary thought.

The movie (I'm reviewing this as if it was an ordinary movie) revolves around the pending basketball match between the Looney Tunes characters (Daffy Duck, Road Runner, Tweety Bird etc) and the characters from Moron Mountain. You see Moron Mounatin, located in outer space, is struggling for patrons, so the boss decides to try to kidnap the Looney Tunes guys. In a shrewd move, Bugs Bunny manages to stave off the kidnapping by getting them to agree to a basketball match to decide their fate. If his squad loses, the Looney Tunes characters move to Moron Mountain as entertainers forever. If they win, they are free. Sounds fair. But then the Moron Mountain squad decides to play dirty and goes and steals the talents of some of the NBA elite. The Looney Tunes manage a coup of their own, signing up the greatest player ever, Michael Jordan. The teams train and prepare for the biggest games of their lives. What will be the Looney Tunes fate? See it and find out! Entertaining enough, but pretty cheesy. Some good cameos from some NBA stars (Barkley,Ewing etc) and some entertainment greats. Confusing a bit for kids, but they'll get it in the end.

This one plays more like a Muppets movie.

[Aaron1375 · 3/10 · 17 September 2003]

This movie was really bad. The only saving graces are Bill Murray and Larry Bird's all to brief appearances. We have definitely found something Jordan can't do and that is act. That is kind of bad considering he is playing himself in this one. Though most of his costars weren't there, so it might have been difficult. At least he stopped after this one unlike Shaq who made four or five pictures...Thank God Phil Jackson came along and refocused him. As for the plot being like a Muppets movie it is. A few appearances here and there from a surprise celebrity, the whole working with live actors. It just did not seem to be a Looney tunes movie. Though they stopped being Looney a long time ago. I liked Daffy Duck when he was, well, daffy...he has been smart aleck duck for a while now. It just doesn't feel right. All the Looney Tunes on one team, some being life long enemies...and what is the point of introducing the bad guy voiced by I think Danny DeVito. The Martian has always been trying to take over the world, why not just let it be him. Also, what is up with the girl bunny? Why introduce a new character? I guess we just had to be politically correct. Well this one may be good for the kiddies, but most of us are going to recognize it for what it is...one long commercial. I saw a clip from the next Looney Tunes movie and it is even more Muppet looking than this one