Space Jam (1996)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 1996
	Director: Joe Pytka
	Actors: Michael Jordan, Wayne Knight (Jurassic Park, Dirty Dancing), Theresa Randle (Bad Boys 1-3), Bill Murray (Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Animation, Comedy
	Conditions of visioning: 29.06.2020, VOD, 10" tablet screen.
Synopsis: When aliens try to kidnap the Looney Tunes as attractions for a theme park, the cartoons convince them to settle it with a basketball match, and force real-world Michael Jordan to help them.
Review: In the need for something easy to watch, I wanted to revisit this old live action / animation mix to see how it aged. The answer is : badly. It pales in comparison to the master in this sub-genre: Who Framed Roger Rabbit, 8 years older. While Roger Rabbit was not really aimed at kids, or at least with a different level of viewing, Space Jam is very straightforward slapstick humor banking on the main characters which are the Looney Tunes and which, it turned out, don't make me laugh. The cartoons look better (more in 3D) than when they are on TV, the live/animation mix is well done and Michael Jordan doesn't even act so bad for a non-actor, those are not the problems. I just couldn't stand the humor (and the loud music), either from the Toons or from the live characters. Wayne Knight (Jurassic Park, Dirty Dancing) is over-acting as usual but that's his character, and Bill Murray, as himself, can't save the rest. You should rather see him in that other live/animation, the underestimated Osmosis Jones. A very short-lived success, down to its dated soundtrack (R. Kelly's I Believe I can Fly).
Rating: 2 /10