WARNING: Massive Spoilers for “The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie”
Movie entertainment has evolved over many generations, with animation being one of its most beloved forms. Among the standout animation studios that have shaped this medium are Disney, Dreamworks, Sony and FOX.
Warner Bros. emerged as one of Disney’s earliest competitors, and to rival the iconic Mickey Mouse, Warner Bros. created its own memorable franchise: “Looney Tunes.”
“The Day The Earth Blew Up” is a 2024 animated film directed by Pete Browngardt, which premiered at a film festival before its theatrical release on March 14th. The “Looney Tunes” cast is familiar with the big screen, having appeared in films such as the “Space Jam” duology and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.”
The movie begins with an unnamed scientist (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) who discovers an asteroid, only to stumble upon a UFO harboring a mind-controlling alien. We then are shown a flashback sequence of Farmer Jim (also Tatasciore), who saves and raises Porky Pig and Daffy Duck (both voiced by Eric Bauza). Before Jim leaves the house to them, he leaves them with a piece of advice: no matter the adversity, they can overcome it as long as they stick together.
In the present day, Porky and Daffy commence their annual home inspection. Everything seems nearly perfect, except for a hole in their roof. If they don’t fix it within 10 days, their house will be condemned. In an attempt to earn the money needed for repairs, they take on a string of odd jobs–from delivering newspapers to becoming influencers. Each attempt becomes more insane, with Daffy’s hijinks leading to them getting fired every time.
With only two days left, things look grim — until Petunia Pig (Candi Milo) offers them a job at a local gum factory, where they’re tasked with creating the perfect gum flavor. Surprisingly, things go smoothly at first, that is until Daffy notices the same scientist from earlier, now dropping the same slime he noticed on the house’s roof into the gum.
Soon, it’s revealed that the scientist is working for an alien named The Invader (Peter MacNicol), who plans to use the gum to brainwash the world. Daffy, being the only one who knows the truth, tries to thwart the launch event but ends up getting arrested. He’s bailed out using the duo’s entire life savings.
Eventually, Porky, Daffy, and Petunia come together and confirm Daffy’s suspicions. While trying to stop the alien invasion, Porky, fearing Daffy might mess things up, goes off alone. Unsurprisingly, this backfires — Daffy shows up anyway, and their house is destroyed in the chaos, along with the gum’s only known weakness.
At their lowest moment, Porky and Daffy vent out their frustrations, but ultimately team up to foil The Invader’s plan. Ironically, they find out that gum was originally meant to protect the Earth from the incoming asteroid seen at the beginning of the film.
Thanks to some chaotic quick thinking, Porky and Daffy destroy the asteroid and save the world. Petunia then realizes that the asteroid’s crystals are the missing ingredient for the perfect gum flavor. The film ends on a comedic and happy note: Daffy and Porky lament over their destroyed home, only to find an old insurance policy worth $5 million, leading to a much larger house.
My one requirement going into this film was simple: it had to make me laugh. I loved its classic slapstick humor, the voice acting, the charming art style and the way it poked fun at media cliches.
That said, a few things didn’t land at the end. Some jokes relied too much on trends, like the influencer bit. Additionally, the pacing felt so fast that key plot points didn’t get enough breathing room, and the villain lacked depth.
Nonetheless, “The Day the Earth Blew Up” is a fun adventure for all ages to enjoy.
