Space Jam (The Private Reviewer)

PR: Hello, I'm the Private Reviewer, I remember it because Nostalgia Critic doesn't. You know, I love the Looney Tunes. Who doesn't? They're funny, they're clever, they're unique, they're absolutely wonderful. And you wanna know what else? I love basketball. Again, who doesn't? It's fun, it's intense, it gives you a rush of energy, it's also absolutely wonderful. Because if you have to do mix to Space Jam... which the New Legacy coming out this year, don't you?

(Title and Footage of Space Jam)

PR (voiceover): This movie was intended to be a kids and adults' movie! And all of us MJ fans alike respect the movie simply because he was in it. The acting was not bad -- it was just on a children's level... of which it was intended! I really liked Space Jam when I was younger, I still like the movie from time to time, even. So saying it is like a Muppets movie is absurd! I do agree that Marvin the Martian should have been the villain, mainly because DeVito's character got on my nerves. I LOVE the fact that they brought a girl character... and presented her as the best ball player (aside from Jordan). During this time, we were all about political correction! I think this movie suits its own time and appeals to its intended audience.

PR: So with that said, let's take a look at how these two wonderful pastimes got transformed into the cinematic gang rape that lies before us.

(footage)

PR (voiceover): First of all, you might be wondering, "How did this idea even come about?"

(Footage of early nineties Nike Air Jordan/Looney Tunes commercials)

PR (voiceover): Well, in the early 90s, Nike had a brilliant marketing plan for selling their hottest new item, Air Jordans. Obviously, they had Jordan on board, but they needed something else that would be sure to grab all the little kids' attention. So Nike made a deal with Warner Bros. to throw in characters like Bugs Bunny and Marvin the Martian into their commercials.

Michael Jordan: Who did you expect? Elmer Fudd?

PR (voiceover): The ads were a huge hit, and soon Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan became America's top marketing for Nike, McDonald's, toy moguls and too many t-shirt companies to count.

Bugs Bunny: Gruesome, ain't it?

PR (voiceover): After this big success, the marketing heads at Warner Bros. got an idea:

PR: "What if we turn the commercial into a movie, and thereby turning the movie into a commercial, and thereby producing commercials for commercials!"

Daffy Duck: Well, that's how it goes.

(Footage of the movie again)

PR (voiceover): And thus, Space Jam was born. The first film that was quite literally a commercial for a commercial for a commercial.

PR: But don't worry. They hide that fact very cleverly.

Stan Podolak (Wayne Knight): Get your Hanes on, lace up your Nikes, grab your Wheaties and your Gatorade, and we'll pick up a Big Mac on the way to the ballpark.

(a clip of Robots is shown briefly.)

Rodney: Subtle.

(back to the movie...)

PR (voiceover): But still, a movie with two of America's most treasured icons was a pretty big deal.

Michael Jordan: Obviously.

PR: So tell us then, what's the story?

Bugs Bunny: You see, these aliens come from outer space and they wanna make us slaves in their theme park, so we challenged them to a basketball game.

(PR's face turns to excited)

Bugs Bunny: But then they show up and they ain't so little; THEY'RE HUGE! We need to beat these guys. Cause they're talkin' about slavery. They're gonna make us do stand-up comedy: the same jokes, every night for all eternity.

(PR pulls out a bottle of Jack Daniels and starts drinking)

Bugs Bunny: We're gonna be locked up like wild animals and then trotted out to perform for a bunch of low-brow, bug-eyed, fatheaded, humor-challenged aliens!

PR (voiceover): Okay, so the story Bugs was TRYING to get across starts off with Michael Jordan after he dropped out of the NBA.

PR: The FIRST time he dropped out.

PR (voiceover): We see him during those embarrassing years when he actually took up baseball instead of basketball.

PR: And that's not bad writing! Th-That actually happened...

PR (voiceover): Meanwhile, we travel to...um...outer space, where the evil ruler of a...um...theme park on the moon (Mr. Swackhammer (voiced by Danny DeVito)) is looking for new attractions. So he sends his aliens to kidnap the Looney Tunes, who live in...um...the middle of the Earth, where the Looney Tunes retaliate by...um...challenging them to a basketball game.

PR: Pfft, how many times have we heard THAT story?

Daffy Duck: We gotta get new agents, we're gettin' screwed.

PR (voiceover): But before we even get to that, we have to watch dozens of scenes where Michael Jordan is interacting with his family.

Michael Jordan: What's wrong with Jeff?

Juanita Jordan: Well he went 2 for 5 and lost 32 points in his batting average. (as Michael gasps) So yeah, that puts him at like a .685 or something.

PR: Oh come on, can't you get to the Looney Tunes already?

Daffy Duck: (decked out like a gangsta) What do ya think? I'm kinda partial to purple and gold myself. It goes better with my coloring.

PR: On second thought, go back to the boring family.

Michael Jordan: Whatcha cookin'?

Delores Jordan: Chicken.

Michael Jordan: Chicken and what?

Delores: Chicken and collard greens.

Michael Jordan: Good.

PR: On second thought, go back to the Looney Tunes.

Nerdluck Bupkus: One giant leap for moron mountain!

(Jams a flag pole into Nerdluck Pound's foot, and he screams)

PR: ...is The 700 Club on?

Bugs Bunny: I thought you'd never ask.

PR (voiceover): Judging from those clips, you may have noticed the first problem with this movie: the Looney Tunes are funny. They're rude, loud, and obnoxiously annoying, but they're certainly funny. The writing for this movie is so fun, you wish the original Looney Tunes from the '50s could sit there and watch it.

Granny: I'm a cheerleader.

(Old-school Bugs rolls his eyes)

Daffy Duck: But mommy, I don't want to go to school today!

(Old-school Wile E. Coyote just looks at the scene, bored)

Monstar Blanko: Boo.

Porky Pig: AAAAAAH! (His eyes travel downward) I wet myself.

Old-school Daffy: Haha, very funny, hahaha.

(Steely gaze)

PR (voiceover): The second problem you may have noticed with this movie is that Michael Jordan is funny. He's an incredibly good actor, but he's certainly funny. In fact, I think he knows he's IN a movie. I think they just followed him around with cameras and then painted some cartoon characters in the background.

Sylvester: Thufferin' thuckatash!

PR (voiceover): Getting back to the story, the aliens decide to go back to our world and try to get some extra strength. While there, they sit next to the wife from Everybody Loves Raymond (Patricia Heaton) and the guy who did the voice for Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta).

PR: How...random.

PR (voiceover): So the aliens steal all the talent from some of basketball's greatest players.

Muggsy Bogues: We're fine. It's some some psychosomatic deal, or something with to do with the moon and the alignment of the planet.

PR: Wow, looks like they took their acting talent too.

Nerdluck Nawt: It stinks.

PR (voiceover): So the aliens become giant Monstars which the Looney Tunes can't possibly defeat. So they get the help of Michael Jordan and his wormy little assistant played by Wayne Knight. Who, I was surprised to find out, is NOT a cartoon character.

Nerdluck Pound: Oh yeah? Who says?

PR (voiceover): So the game is on and all the Looney Tunes join forces to stop the evil aliens in a universal Space Jam.

PR: So all your favorites are there for the lineup, including Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Taz, Elmer, Lola, Tweety, Marvin the- WAIT A MINUTE! Who's Lola? Oh, wait, wait, wait, I remember, from the classic Lola cartoons! You know, with the...and the...WHO'S LOLA?!

(Lola Bunny was created for the movie although her role was gonna be taken by Honey Bunny, but she was scrapped because she looked way too similar to Bugs Bunny)

PR (voiceover): Lola, turns out, is a girl bunny they created to bring in more of the female demographic. Unfortunately, they didn't really make her fun, silly, goofy or zany...in fact, they didn't give her any personality at all.

PR: Which is kinda weird, because she is in fact, a rabbit.

PR (voiceover): I mean, look at her, they dress her in skimpy clothes, they make her wear short shorts...

PR: Oh! And here's the biggest insult of all: If that hassenpfeffer hussy actually has female genitalia, what does that mean the other Looney Tunes characters have?

Sylvester: We've got balls!

PR: STOP! STOP! Okay, alright, let me make one thing perfectly clear to all you Warner Bros. representatives out there: We wanna bunnies! ...I can't believe I have to say this, we wanna bunnies! Therefore we like to other bunnies! I'm sure there's some SMALL percentage of people out there that like to bunnies, but that hardly seems like a very profitable demographic.

PR (voiceover): Okay, so aside from promoting bestiality to kids, the film also has the cutey camera shots in the entire world. That is to say, they're ALL extreme closeups! Seriously, I feel like all the characters in this movie are about to French me. These shots are so close, I keep thinking the camera's gonna hit 'em in the face, like in the opening of Disney's Aladdin.

(Show appropriate scene)

Merchant (Robin Williams): (with his face smudged on the camera) Too close! A little too close!

PR (voiceover): So all the Looney Tunes characters: Bugs, Daffy, Taz, Lola and so forth, pretty much get their animations handed to them. But unfortunately the movie continues, and it turns out that Michael Jordan and his Looney Tunes are actually short one player. Who could they possibly get?

Bill Murray: Dun da da da da da da daaaa!

PR: Yeah, that's Bill Murray.

Bill Murray: Perhaps I could be of some assistance. This is why I was born.

PR: Okay, I'm gonna give you the name of a director here, a Sofia Coppola, she's kind of a newcomer, but she has a lot of promise. Just...just think about it.

Daffy Duck: Very funny.

PR (voiceover): Of course it comes down to a tied game, and it's up to Michael Jordan to score the final point. But, in a stunning turn of events...

PR: They actually don't win. They lose the game, defying all cinematic conventions. (Lord of the Rings music plays) Michael Jordan finds out that he is an imperfect human being, a fallen hero. He discovers the burden of responsibility that having such great power requires. But...he also finds that strength comes from the mind and soul, and not just from athletic accomplishments. And though, not the happiest ending, the film teaches children that even in their darkest moments you can always find unity...in yourself. And that my friend, is the essence of all mankind, he makes the basket and wins.

Nerdlucks: Aw.

PR (voiceover): So the Looney Tunes get Michael back home, give the players back their talent and return to being their phenomenally funny selves. But Jordan still has one last thing to settle.

Charles Barkley: You know he doesn't play BASKETBALL anymore.

Shawn Bradley: You know, he probably doesn't even have it anymore, guys.

Michael Jordan: There's only one way to find out.

Sports Announcer: Welcome back, MICHAEEELLL JORDAAAAN!

PR: Oh. I see, it's because of the Looney Tunes that Michael Jordan came back to basketball.

(the movie clips are shown as PR speaks)

PR (voiceover): Space Jam is a very good movie for children and adults who love sports. This movie teaches kids and adults to keep thriving for what they want and never give up. It's telling them no matter how tall people are, how tough people are, never give up because of some disadvantages. The moral of this story is to always keep thriving and never give up.

PR: So, can you imagine what the writing section with these four kiddies was like?

(A scene from the movie where the talent-stolen players visit a mystic)

Mystic: I see aliens... I also see Michael Jordan being sucked down a golf hole... to win a basketball game against... Bugs Bunny...

NC: Actually, that explains a lot.

Patrick Ewing: That's it, we're outta here.

PR: If you'll excuse me, I'm actually off to see the stand-alone sequel, Space Jam: A New Legacy! I'm the Private Reviewer, I remember it because Nostalgia critic doesn't.

(he gets up and leaves. the credits roll)