Space Jam: A New Legacy - Image from Warner Bros.

Welcome to the Space Jam. . .again!  That's right, 25 years after the original Space Jam landed on the big screen, a new king of the hardwood has teamed up with the Looney Tunes bunch for Space Jam: A New Legacy.  LeBron James leads a star-studded cast featuring familiar red carpet favorites like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Marvin the Martian just to name a few.  

Thanks to Warner Bros for providing my family and I with an advanced screening of Space Jam: A New Legacy so we could share our thoughts on the film with you!

Space Jam: A New Legacy - Movie Review

Space Jam: A New Legacy - Image from Warner Bros.

As the movie begins, we meet family man, LeBron James who has built a career being king of the court, but - like many of us - sometimes struggles connecting with his own kids.  His middle child, Dom (Cedric Joe), is a much bigger fan of video game basketball than the real thing and has an incredible talent for designing his own games.  In an effort to connect more with his son, James bring his son to the Warner Bros studio lot where he is meeting with executives about a new idea created by Al G. Rhythm (Don Cheadle).  Rhythm is just that - an algorithm inside the Warner Bros server.  After hearing his idea rejected by James, he decides to make him pay attention. . .one way or the other.  He kidnaps James and his son into the Serververse and devises the ultimate father vs. son basketball game.  James turns to the Looney Tunes to get the old team back together while his son creates his own super players in the Goon Squad.  James finds himself in a battle for his family and millions of others in the most important game of his life.

Space Jam: A New Legacy - Image from Warner Bros.

Space Jam: A New Legacy presents a totally new storyline, while keeping some familiar faces (i.e. - the Tune Squad) from the first film.  In that sense, it's not really a sequel as much as it's a continuation of the franchise.  LeBron James is funny and natural as the leading man of the film.  During the film we have both live action LeBron and cartoon LeBron that we get to enjoy.  It is a cool concept to see LeBron immersed completely in the cartoon world for a period of time as he and Bugs get the Tune Squad reunited from all over the Warner Bros. Serververse.

Check out my interview with Sonequa Martin-Green here!

At it's heart, the film is really all about family.  The relationship between LeBron and his son Dom highlights some of the struggles that are common to all parent / child relationships.  We all have ideas about what we want for our kids, but sometimes they don't line up with what our kids want for themselves.  Being able to step back and listen more to our kids is a difficult challenge sometimes, and one that parents face whether you're a professional athlete or not.  And Don Cheadle's character represents to me all the distractions and temptations that can drive wedges between the parent/child relationship during the tween/teen years.  Cheadle plays a smooth villain in the film - he can almost come across as likable. . .almost.  The Tune Squad reunion is all about family too.  Bugs has to work to bring the whole group back together again and they also learn about embracing each other as friends and teammates.

Space Jam: A New Legacy - Image from Warner Bros.

Space Jam: A New Legacy is a movie the whole family can enjoy.  It's a fun walk through the Warner Bros. universe too as you'll see some of your favorite characters from other Warner Bros. films make special cameo appearances too.   Don't miss Space Jam: A New Legacy in theaters and on HBO Max beginning Friday, July 16th. 

About Space Jam: A New Legacy (From Warner Bros)

Welcome to the Jam! Basketball champion and global icon LeBron James goes on an epic adventure alongside timeless Tune Bugs Bunny with the animated/live-action event “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” from director Malcolm D. Lee and an innovative filmmaking team including Ryan Coogler and Maverick Carter. This transformational journey is a manic mashup of two worlds that reveals just how far some parents will go to connect with their kids. When LeBron and his young son Dom are trapped in a digital space by a rogue A.I., LeBron must get them home safe by leading Bugs, Lola Bunny and the whole gang of notoriously undisciplined Looney Tunes to victory over the A.I.’s digitized champions on the court: a powered-up roster of professional basketball stars as you’ve never seen them before. It’s Tunes versus Goons in the highest-stakes challenge of his life, that will redefine LeBron’s bond with his son and shine a light on the power of being yourself. The ready-for-action Tunes destroy convention, supercharge their unique talents and surprise even “King” James by playing the game their own way.

 

James stars alongside Oscar nominee Don Cheadle (the “Avengers” films, “Hotel Rwanda”), Khris Davis (“Judas and the Black Messiah,” TV’s “Atlanta”), Sonequa Martin-Green (TV’s “The Walking Dead,” “Star Trek: Discovery”), newcomer Cedric Joe, Jeff Bergman (“Looney Tunes Cartoons”), Eric Bauza (“Looney Tunes Cartoons”), and Zendaya (upcoming “Dune,” “Malcolm & Marie”).