The Day the Earth Blew Up Review: Porky Pig and Daffy Duck Stick Together on a New Adventure
Copyright © Ketchup Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation
Title: The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie
Director: Pete Browngardt
Release Date: June 11, 2024 (Annecy), March 14, 2025 (United States)
The iconic Looney Tunes franchise does have some strong history with theatrical films. Two of these are the Space Jam films, with the first one becoming a critical hit, while the sequel was not so much of one. Recently, Warner Bros. gave Ketchup the rights to come out with The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, one of the few 2D non-anime movies to be released in theaters. With a cheap budget of $15 million, the movie became a box office flop, with only $15.1 million made, but it did gain a positive reputation. Critics and audiences liked the movie for its original story, cartoony flair, and Porky and Daffy's chemistry. It hasn't been nominated for any official awards yet. However, its Annecy premiere sparked such critical praise that it had to be released in theaters the last few months. Very much thanks to the wacky partnership of Porky and Daffy saving the world, The Day the Earth Blew Up is a masterpiece that brings back the Looney charm.
The iconic Looney Tunes franchise does have some strong history with theatrical films. Two of these are the Space Jam films, with the first one becoming a critical hit, while the sequel was not so much of one. Recently, Warner Bros. gave Ketchup the rights to come out with The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, one of the few 2D non-anime movies to be released in theaters. With a cheap budget of $15 million, the movie became a box office flop, with only $15.1 million made, but it did gain a positive reputation. Critics and audiences liked the movie for its original story, cartoony flair, and Porky and Daffy's chemistry. It hasn't been nominated for any official awards yet. However, its Annecy premiere sparked such critical praise that it had to be released in theaters the last few months. Very much thanks to the wacky partnership of Porky and Daffy saving the world, The Day the Earth Blew Up is a masterpiece that brings back the Looney charm.
Summary
"Porky Pig and Daffy Duck become Earth's only hope when their antics at the local bubble-gum factory uncover a secret alien mind-control plot. Faced with cosmic odds, they must save their town and the world while not driving each other totally looney." - Google
"Porky Pig and Daffy Duck become Earth's only hope when their antics at the local bubble-gum factory uncover a secret alien mind-control plot. Faced with cosmic odds, they must save their town and the world while not driving each other totally looney." - Google
Reasons
The looniest things about The Day the Earth Blew Up are the original story, classic cartoon charm, and smooth 2D animation. Just as we thought we were going to get another Space Jam sequel, this one is an entirely new film that is part of the franchise, yet barely anyone bought tickets to see it. The story is basically War of the Worlds mixed with Who Framed Roger Rabbit turning into a whole lot of mayhem after another, and it works! Instead of basketball or studios, we got an alien invasion, except without the help of Bugs Bunny. As far as it can go from the story, it also brings back the charm from the classic cartoons, especially from the original shorts of the franchise. This movie is a mother lode of references that the OG fans can get. Most importantly, there is even the iconic "That's All, Folks!" sequence at the very end of the movie! Sticking to the classic charm, the 2D animation is really smooth enough to stand out in the theatrical format. Remember, this was made when CGI is heavy right now, yet it can work like a Saturday morning cartoon. Alongside the cinematic parts, the slapstick is done with a lot of effort.
More of the looniest to find in The Day the Earth Blew Up are the wacky humor, in-depth characters, and strong execution. Of course, it's Looney Tunes, and this movie needed a lot of jokes to fit in. It has many jokes that fans can laugh at, like slapstick gags, body humor, modern twists, and punchlines. The best of those were the fourth-wall breaks because the movie is not afraid to poke fun of what it is meant to be. Making this part of what I am talking about, the characters are likable and also full of depth. Porky Pig's caution and Daffy Duck's chaos make for a wildly entertaining duo that shined throughout the whole movie, along with Petunia Pig's knowledge as a scientist. Even the villain, The Invader, was also an absurd but lovable character. To top it all off, the execution is polished. The half-hour runtime is what stands out to make a fast-paced cartoon like the Looney Tunes shorts from the past decades. Albeit it is aimed towards long-time fans, it also allows younger kids to get an introduction to the franchise in their prime.
Conclusion
At the end of this review, The Day the Earth Blew Up is an underrated masterpiece that checks off everything looney! It is basically a modern-age love letter to the OG Looney Tunes shorts, that is. What makes this movie special is the many references and jokes derived from the franchise as well as from the golden age of animation. While you have that, the two characters go on an adventure to save the world from evil bubblegum, and it works 100%. The classic shorts may be removed from HBO Max, but if other feature-length movies are in it, this one can join in. Whether or not you are a Looney Tunes fan or you only had one experience from some tie-in game, just watch this.
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