“Space Jam” is the kind of movie that the whole family can sit around the living room and enjoy together. And now is a great time to see the classic, as a sequel starring LeBron James is due out in this summer.
When Warner Bros. and one of the most famous athletes of all time collaborate on a film, it’s bound to be an instant classic.
Joey Fernandez
Sports Editor
This 1996 blockbuster is filled with hilarious moments as star athlete Michael Jordan retires from basketball to play baseball for the Chicago White Sox minor league affiliate the Birmingham Barons.
Meanwhile, the well-known cartoon character bunch The Looney Tunes have their animated world stolen by the unknown species the Nerdlucks, who are on a quest to take over the world. The Nerdlucks challenge the Tunes to a basketball game, and trying to hold in their laughter, the Tunes accept.
What they don’t know is that the Nerdlucks have a plan to go to different professional basketball games, steal some of the star players’ talent and use their magical powers to take control of them in the midst of their games.
Once the Tunes realize what is taking place, they seek the help of retired basketball player Jordan.
Eventually, Jordan is greeted by the famous Bugs Bunny with an issue of aliens greeting them from another planet.
Cameos are featured throughout the film, with appearances from the likes of Bill Murray, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, and Patrick Ewing.
The give and take of MJ and his publicist Stan Podolak is pure comedy, with Podolak constantly trying to keep track of Jordan while he is in and out of the cartoon land.
One of the more hilarious scenes of the movie is when Daffy Duck attempts to retrieve MJ’s lucky basketball shorts from his house. Inside the house, he is greeted by Jordan’s dog and his two young children, who are completely shocked at the sight of a cartoon in their home.
Once Michael has his lucky shorts and Lola Bunny is added to the squad, the team is ready to face the Nerlducks, who have now evolved into the Monstars with the NBA players’ ability and astronomical size.
The movie may be a little cheesy at some parts, but is still enjoyable to all ages. Purely for the fun factor, I rate it a very respectable 4 out of 5 stars.
“Space Jam” is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play TV, and Apple TV.
The sequel starring James is due to be released July 16. It will be fun to see what tricks the moviemakers may have up their sleeves to try to top the legendary original.
Featured image: Worthpoint.com