Yahoo News Space Jam: A New Legacy isn't a slam dunk, based on first reviews
Space Jam: A New Legacy isn't a slam dunk, based on its early reviews.
The reboot stars LeBron James as a fictionalised version of himself, with a supporting cast including Marvel's Don Cheadle, Spider-Man actress Zendaya and Star Trek: Discovery's Sonequa Martin-Green.
The plot follows a quest by James to win back his son in a basketball tournament after he is kidnapped by a rogue artificial intelligence.
Alas, it seems there isn't a lot of love for the Looney Tunes this time around.
Related: Spider-Man's Zendaya responds to Space Jam's Lola Bunny controversy
While critics praised Space Jam: A New Legacy's visual quality and its fresh depiction of the Looney Tunes characters, including a less sexualised Lola Bunny, the movie also got a lot of flack.
Indeed, while deemed "more entertaining and better paced than the original", reviewers dubbed the reboot's Ready Player One-like "endless pop culture references" a fail.
They also said it lacked any real humour that adults would enjoy, with several critics making the same observation that Space Jam: A New Legacy doesn't feel like a movie at all.
Below is our review round-up:
News.com.au
"You wonder how much Warner Bros demanded filmmakers, which included director Malcolm D. Lee and producer Ryan Coogler, cram in as many references to WB properties as possible.
"It's a shame that the cross-promotion was so nauseating and over-the-top because otherwise Space Jam: A New Legacy has a lot of value."
The AU Review
"There's wonder and disbelief to be held (try explaining A Clockwork Orange to your kids) but A New Legacy is mostly child-friendly fare that proves a colourful, inexplicable distraction that’s unlikely to retain, ironically, any type of legacy for itself."
Related: Space Jam is getting a 4K re-release ahead of A New Legacy – how to buy
Flicks.com.au
"Space Jam: A New Legacy isn't really a story, or even a movie. It's a video game you can't play and a theme park you can't explore."
The Jam Report
"This is a film and it's hard to say anyone involved in this production appears to realise that. Watching a group of cartoons play a basketball video game is about as enjoyable as sitting behind your best friend while they play Mario Kart."
Space Jam: A New Legacy is set for release on July 16 in the US, and July 23 in the UK.
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