Second Look - Space Jam

Three years ago, I reviewed the Looney Tunes/Michael Jordan movie Space Jam, both to look at something I had seen as a kid and as a lead-in to the game Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden. In the years since the original post, I have come to realize that, among other things, my opinion on the movie may have been more influenced by an outside source than I had initially believed. So, in time for the movie’s 21^st anniversary, I have decided to rewatch the movie and offer a re-review based on how I felt. Though some of my opinions stay the same, I have generally come to view Space Jam a little more positively, though still not entirely.

Based on a Nike Super Bowl commercial, the movie opens with a young Michael Jordan (Brandon Hammond) aspiring to become a professional basketball player, which the opening credits montage of NBA footage shows that he does. As he did in real life, the movie cuts to Jordan (played by himself) starting a professional baseball career to emulate his father. Over the course of the movie, he is dragged into an interstellar conflict in which he must help the Looney Tunes (who live in the center of the Earth) win a basketball game against a group of aliens called the Nerdlucks, who have absorbed the talents of professional NBA stars to become the Monstars. If the Looney Tunes lose, they will be forced to become the latest attraction of the space amusement park Six Flags Magic Mountain Moron Mountain, run by Mr. Swackhammer (Danny DeVito).

The crossover 63% of you asked for (from left: Bugs Bunny, Michael Jordan).

The story generally follows a consistent pace, managing to balance the two narratives of Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes to form a somewhat cohesive whole. There is, however, a plot point that seems to come out of nowhere, that being Bill Murray’s (playing himself) appearance in the final act, where he suddenly joins the Tune Squad to help defeat the Monstars in the big basketball game. His appearance is explained away by a meta joke (he was essentially able to walk onto the set), however it still seems like a deus ex machina since the only foreshadowing he gets is him discussing basketball, while playing golf, with Michael Jordan prior to Jordan getting taken to the Tunes’ world. In any case, as said in the preceding paragraph, it does accurately portray Michael Jordan’s professional sports career, since he went from the NBA to the MiLB before returning to the NBA, playing for the Chicago Bulls before and after baseball. Behind the scenes, production for Space Jam may have helped influence Jordan’s return to basketball, seen at the end of the movie, as the studio had constructed a full-size basketball court so he could practice and get back into the rhythm of playing.

The animation is actually pretty good, at least in regards to the Tunes and the aliens, and manages to hold up pretty well (although the general quality fluctuates a little during the climactic basketball game). The CG effects, on the other hand, are incredibly outdated by today’s standards, even with the context of the animated characters. When applied to humans especially, these effects can easily edge into nightmare fuel, among such moments a scene where Jordan is morphed into a basketball-like shape that the Monstars play around with to taunt the Tunes. In spite of this, viewers may enjoy seeing their favorite Looney Tunes characters on-screen, even some more obscure characters that appear in some crowd shots (including the recently-memetic Dover Boys, whose short is currently public domain). Though the Tunes themselves can be a little more mean-spirited than what you’d find in an old Looney Tunes short, one can view these versions of the Tunes as alternate counterparts to the ones featured in the shorts, partially due to this movie setting them up as living inside the Earth’s core.

Quick, before the copyright gets renewed!

As stated in my original review, a positive I would give the movie is its soundtrack, which features the memetic “Space Jam” by Quad City DJs, as well as the R. Kelly hit “I Believe I Can Fly” among other then-popular artists/songs that turn the 6x Platinum soundtrack into a ‘90s time capsule. Since my initial review, I have come to find more humor in the movie, including some visual gags and off-hand lines (including some of Bill Murray’s dialogue), however I still think it could have done without the occasional moments of toilet humor, at least one of which, where they literally spit-shine an old basketball court, was just a bit gross to see animated. The subplot of the now-talentless NBA stars is actually kind of funny, including a scene where it makes the plot of the movie sound even more ridiculous when put into spoken words. My opinion on the product placement remains the same, in that it can become a bit in-your-face; in one particular scene, the character of Stanley (Wayne Knight) rattles off a bunch of brands while telling Michael Jordan to get ready, with Jordan eating food from McDonald’s (who has actually sponsored him) on top of that.

In spite of the dubious quality of the movie, it does indeed have an enduring legacy, least of which is attaining a lasting cult following. Charles Barkley, one of the NBA stars featured in the movie as a victim of the Nerdlucks’ abilities, was made the main character of a (hilarious) fan-made RPG game, Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden (full name: Tales of Game’s Studios Presents Chef Boyardee’s Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden, Chapter 1 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa), which actually features the story of Space Jam as part of the backstory as well as its own remix of the “Space Jam” theme. The game is set to get a Kickstarted sequel with original assets, Barkley 2 (full name: The Magical Realms of Tír na nÓg: Escape from Necron 7 – Revenge of Cuchulainn: The Official Game of the Movie – Chapter 2 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa), though it remains in development.

A more notable aspect of Space Jam’s legacy is that it features the first appearance of Lola Bunny; though she doesn’t have much character here (being introduced solely to give Bugs Bunny a love interest), she has since been given more development in following Looney Tunes offshoots, among them the Cartoon Network series The Looney Tunes Show, as well as having a descendent of hers starring in the Kids WB series Loonatics Unleashed. Talks of a sequel to Space Jam have also been going around for years, although so far nothing official has ever materialized for it.

Lola Bunny (right) didn't have much to go on in her first outing.

Upon giving it a second chance, Space Jam is, in my opinion, okay. There’s some legitimately funny moments in it and the traditional animation is a highlight (as is hearing the late June Foray actually voicing her regular characters), however it still doesn’t entirely appeal to me as a complete package. Regardless, it is rather easy to see why the movie has a cult following, especially when factoring in Lola Bunny’s debut in this movie as well as various memes and the aforementioned fan game starring Charles Barkley (plus I’m not one to judge unironic enjoyment of this particular movie since I unironically enjoy UHF). I wouldn’t entirely recommend Space Jam to Looney Tunes fans aside from its historical value for Lola, though it is overall somewhat enjoyable and is worth watching once to form your own opinion, especially if you’re a fan of Michael Jordan or are gearing up to play Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden.

Would you believe the official website is still active?

[OLD] Space Jam

This film has been re-reviewed. Read it here: https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2017/11/second-look-space-jam.html

Space Jam is one of those movies I saw at least once as a kid, only to barely remember it years later as an adult; though I remember liking the movie as a kid (because I was a kid), I eventually began to wonder why exactly I liked it in the first place. What I eventually learned later, however, is that the movie was based on a series of Nike commercials that featured Looney Tunes characters alongside famed NBA basketball player Michael Jordan. In a fit of nostalgia, I recorded the movie on my TiVo (R.I.P. Blockbuster) and found the time to watch it sometime afterwards. After having done so, I found it…to have some problems.

The film opens with a scene of Michael Jordan as a kid (Brandon Hammond) practicing shooting hoops in his backyard, telling his father (Thom Barry) his plans to go big in basketball and then try playing baseball (just like his dad). Years later in 1993, Michael Jordan does just that (Note: This actually happened in real life), however his career is suffering and a publicist named Stanley Podolak (Wayne Knight) tries to help him out, much to Jordan’s annoyance. Meanwhile in space, there is an amusement park called Moron Mountain, and its owner, Mr. Swackhammer (Danny DeVito), doesn’t like how things are going. When trying to come up with a new way to attract customers, his assistants, the Nerdlucks (Pound (Jocelyn Blue), Blanko (Charity James), Bang (June Melby), Bupkus (Catherine Reitman), and Nawt (Celleen Wainwright), who along with the term “Nerdluck” are not named in the movie proper) accidentally come across Looney Tunes cartoons on TV, which Swackhammer decides should be Moron Mountain’s newest attraction (see: Six Flags). The Nerdlucks then travel to Earth, diving towards the center, where it turns out the Looney Tunes live, and seek to enslave them to bring them to Moron Mountain. With a bit of quick thinking, Bugs Bunny (Billy West) and the other Tunes challenge the Nerdlucks to a basketball game for their freedom, which they believe they will win because their opponents are so short. In retaliation, the Nerdlucks steal the talents of other NBA stars (Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Shawn Bradley, Larry Johnson, and Muggsy Bogues), increasing their size as a result, gaining the team name Monstars (now voiced by Darnell Suttles, Steve Kehela, Joey Camen, Dorian Harewood, and T. K. Carter respectively) and beating down the Tunes; this makes the Tunes realize they need extra help. On the surface, while playing golf with Stanley, Bull Murray, and Larry Bird, Michael Jordan is kidnapped by Bugs Bunny (this is an odd sentence) and taken to the Tunes’ world, where he gets an explanation as to the current stakes. While he initially finds himself in an odd predicament, Michael Jordan agrees to help.

The Nerdlucks touching a magic basketball to absorb talent that they stole from
professional NBA players. Don't ask me which Nerdluck is which.

At first, Space Jam’s plot feels like two completely different movies slapped together, but eventually they merge into something a bit nonsensical. Admittedly, while I am not a huge basketball fan, nor do I follow Michael Jordan that closely, I felt the parts involving him dealing with his baseball performance and potential family issues could have been salvaged as its own movie, if done right, but the bits with the Nerdlucks and the Looney Tunes came in and made the story somewhat of a mess. While the movie itself does feature some big-name actors like Bill Murray and June Foray (voicing her respective Granny and Witch Hazel characters from previous Looney Tunes shorts) alongside known NBA players like Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, I felt that the actors’ talents were somewhat wasted (including those of the voice actors who took over the late Mel Blanc’s roles), especially given that Bill Murray at the time was (and still is) known for films like Caddyshack and both Ghostbusters movies, not to mention the oft-copied Groundhog Day.

Speaking of comedies, another problem with the movie is its humor. Granted, there is at least one legitimately funny moment, like Bugs Bunny taking a jab at the Mighty Ducks movies, the Looney Tunes in general didn’t really come across as being funny, as one would expect them to be. Their actions are more so based on cockiness and serious revenge than comedic revenge, with any semblance of the latter coming from various clips and maybe something between the Roadrunner and Coyote characters. Sure, the animated characters (that get enough screen time) are animated well, but these Tunes, Tiny or not, are not particularly Looney. And while the traditional animation in the movie is admittedly solid, the CG present is not by today’s standards (given this is a 90s movie, the CG was probably something when it first came out) and doesn’t hold up very well. Some CG was also put into making at least a couple live-action characters, including Michael Jordan himself, seem more slapsticky in the Looney Tunes’ world, however it rather quickly dives into the uncanny valley, making those particular scenes a little difficult to watch.

Bugs Bunny (left) and Michael Jordan (right): together at last.

As with plenty of other movies, the product placement in this movie is rather blatant; the fact that this movie is based on a commercial itself does not help. A particular scene that comes to mind is when Michael Jordan is watching TV while eating McDonald’s, only for the Stanley character to enter the room and awkwardly name off five products in rapid succession. While this was somewhat unavoidable given the nature of the film, this still kind of bothered me as I watched it. Also, on a different subject, I’m not much of a basketball expert, but I’m pretty sure at least 80% of the moves pulled off in the big game near the end of the movie would be considered illegal in real life.

While the movie itself might not be all that great, one thing I can’t fault it for is the soundtrack, which, much like The Transformers: The Movie’s soundtrack was with the 80s, is so 90s that it hurts. Aside from the well-known song “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly (which got referenced in Penny Arcade Adventures of all things), it features artists such as Seal, Coolio, Busta Rhymes, Spin Doctors, Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Salt-N-Pepa, and many more, which makes the film somewhat of a 90s time capsule, which is probably why the CD managed to get a 6x Platinum in the years since the movie’s release. In short, this is probably the one thing about the movie that I can’t find any faults in. (Speaking of time capsules, did you know that you can still view the Space Jam promotional website to this very day? Check it out!)

Behold!

One other thing this movie is probably better known for is that it’s the first appearance of a character named Lola Bunny (Kath Soucie), who serves as a female love interest for Bugs Bunny (and whom all the other male Tunes find attractive). Though she displays knowledge of how to play basketball that the other starring Tunes lack, she doesn’t really do much of anything else, much like the earlier version of IDW Publishing’s Drift character in their Transformers comics. However, she has since gained something of a legacy, having a super-powered equivalent on (now defunct) Kids WB’s (divisive) Loonatics Unleashed cartoon and becoming a major player on Cartoon Network’s current The Looney Tunes Show. Needless to say, Warner Brothers seems to have found more of a use for the Lola character in the years since her introduction in Space Jam.

Lola Bunny (right) doesn't really do much of anything in this film.

While it was good to me when I was a kid, Space Jam isn’t a movie that has really held with me since I viewed it again. While the animation (for the most part) and the soundtrack prove to be good, the Looney Tunes themselves feel sort of out of character and the plot is kind of a mess, feeling like several movies cobbled together into one. However, this movie is no doubt likely someone’s guilty pleasure and, while maybe a little outdated, I would recommend this movie as harmless entertainment for children, the movie’s target audience, provided the child in question at least knows who Michael Jordan is. Though it was probably good for me to revisit a movie like this from my childhood, this isn’t a movie I personally would want to see again out of my own volition (though this movie is canon, so make of that what you will).