‘Day the Earth Blew Up’ Captures Classic Looney Tunes Humor

Peter Browngardt’s “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” is a charming, antic and beautifully crafted animated film that generously taps into the inspired silliness of the source material.

The movie tells us that Daffy Duck and Porky Pig grew up together in a Norman Rockwellian farmhouse on the brink of foreclosure. While Porky succeeds at finding jobs, Daffy, who is basically a lunatic, is the one who always messes things up for both of them.

When Porky falls in love for the first time, he understandably braces himself with the expectation that Daffy will do something to ruin everything for him.

Meanwhile, an alien invader takes over a chewing gum factory and partakes in a bizarre plot for world domination.

There are plot strands and visual references from “The Blob” (1958), “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1956 and 1978), “Night of the Creeps” (1986) and even “Armageddon” (1998), though the films are wisely never name checked and the satire isn’t overly announced.

Compare that to the “Pulp Fiction” gag in “Space Jam” that was hilarious in 1996 but now seems extremely out of place.

It could be argued that the humor here is more akin to “Animaniacs” (1993) than the old school Tex Avery/Chuck Jones/ Friz Freleng cartoon masterpieces that were often voiced by Mel Blanc. The jokes that don’t connect are all mercifully brief contemporary references – I’m not sure why the Daffy Duck would reference twerking videos on Instagram.

Thankfully, the gags come so fast, for every joke that doesn’t land, there’s one a few seconds later that does the trick.

The pairing of Porky and Daffy is somewhat odd since Daffy is such a wild character and Porky is, well, just a talking pig who stutters. I wish Daffy were teamed with that eternal wiseass Bugs Bunny or a real oddball like Marvin the Martian,

At least the buddy comedy dynamic is firmly in place.

If Daffy is utilized especially well here, it’s because A. we all have one friend like Daffy, the wildcard who is endearing and embarrassing, and B. the plot leans on Daffy acknowledging how he overdoes everything and would better succeed in life if he reconsiders his personal strengths.

It’s a refreshingly honest touch in a movie featuring chewing gum that sprouts eyeballs.

Also, there’s a scene where Daffy has a public breakdown and gives a ranting speech on stage, completely naked, which is so bizarre, funny and exactly what you’d expect from him.

As of 2025, we have yet to see the shelved, reportedly wonderful “Coyote Vs. Acme,” the shot in 2022, part live action, part animated comedy starring John Cena, Will Forte and Wile E. Coyote (the latter is my favorite Looney Tunes character).

I hate that we may never see “Coyote Vs. Acme” (someone, pretty please, drop it on MAX), but I am delighted that a fully animated, utterly crazy and faithful in spirit Looney Tunes movie has arrived in the age of primarily CGI animated works.

I grew up relishing every time “The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie” (1981) would play on HBO, but that film (and the ones that followed) were mostly a compilation of the best cartoons airing Saturday morning.

I still enjoy “Space Jam” but couldn’t stand the sequel.

Since “Coyote vs. Acme” is in some kind of corporate limbo (if it hasn’t been erased, as rumored, then it’s been indefinitely shelved, a preferable status), then this is currently the best of the Looney Tunes movies so far.
Porky Pig and Daffy Duck carry this into a sublimely silly state of Nirvana.

However, if it’s a hit and another Looney Tunes animated buddy comedy is announced, I hope Warner Bros. Animation pairs up Yosemite Sam and Pepe Le Pew, two colorful weirdos who I’d happily watch in absolutely anything.

Of all things, this movie made me think of how bizarre chewing gum is: it’s been around in some form for centuries and is an industry of making flavored strips that we chew and discard when it becomes a sticky, stale mess.

Gum is a frequent supermarket impulse buy for me. Why on Earth do we endorse something that is best known for appearing unwanted and stuck beneath a table? Until I saw how aliens use pink bubble gum in this movie to achieve their bizarre goals, I don’t think I’ve ever thought so much about gum in my life.

Thanks, Porky and Daffy.

Three Stars (out of four)

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