In Space Jam: A New Legacy, When Porky Pig Raps, the World Weeps

Dear readers of io9, I’m frightened about Space Jam: A New Legacy. You see, I’m a baby of the Nineteen Nineties. Like so many people, I grew up idolizing Michael Jordan and was the right age to see the 1996 authentic Space Jam when it was launched. So the information of the long-gestating sequel, that includes this era’s closest Jordan equal LeBron James, is one thing I’ve been wanting ahead to. But watching Porky Pig rap on this new clip is simply, properly, worrisome.

Before this although, I used to be nonetheless holding out hope. I’ve at all times cheered for James, thanks largely to his unbelievable abilities—but additionally different movies he’s been part of, just like the underrated documentary More Than a Game, which follows his highschool profession. And even with the discharge of A New Legacy’s first trailer, which acquired so universally dunked on by the web the second trailer all however ignored the primary, I used to be nonetheless OK with it. While 99% of the world despises movies filled with pointless popular culture references, I really get pleasure from them. (Yes, I’m the one individual right here who likes Ready Player One). But these clips? Yikes. First The Matrix and now a pseudo 8 Mile rap battle? I simply don’t know.

Once you take away your animated jaw from the ground, there are a number of issues focus on right here. First, the animation does look implausible. The CGI work making the Looney Tunes seem “realistic” seems nice. Beyond that although, isn’t the largest a part of Porky Pig’s enchantment his endearing speech obstacle? So how can he simply drop that and turn into a personality from the rap-battle film Bodied (also underrated)? Maybe the movie has a proof outdoors of this. I’m additionally conscious that is a movie for little children and it’s not meant to be dissected in, mainly, any possible way. But there’s clearly a line between movies 12-year-olds go wild for which even have redeeming qualities for adults. And I really, deeply concern the issue with Space Jam: A New Legacy is these hypothetical “redeeming qualities for adults” will simply be that we acknowledge characters from different Warner Bros. properties all through.

I hope past hope that I’m fallacious however that hope is dwindling. Space Jam: A New Legacy involves theaters and HBO Max on July 16.

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