Looney Tunes: Back in Action
Movie, 2003, The 2000s, Set in The Blue Monkey diamond
Looney Tunes: Back in Action is #9 of 18 in release order and #9 of 18 in chronological order in the Looney Tunes.
The story
Fed up with all the attention going to Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck quits Hollywood, teams up with recently-fired stuntman Damien Drake Jr. and embarks on a round-the-world adventure, along with Bugs and The VP of Warner Bros. Their mission? Find Damien's father, and the missing blue diamond... and stay one step ahead of The Acme Corp., who wants the diamond for their own purposes.
Looney Tunes: Back in Action recap
Daffy Duck, tired of being Bugs Bunny's sidekick, demands better treatment, and Warner Bros. executive Kate Houghton fires him. Studio security guard DJ Drake, an aspiring stuntman, is fired too after chasing Daffy through the lot. DJ's father, the action star Damian Drake, turns out to be a real secret agent, and he has been captured by the Acme Corporation, run by the childish, villainous Mr. Chairman. Damian needs DJ to find the Blue Monkey, a diamond that can turn people into monkeys. Daffy tags along, and Kate is ordered to bring Daffy back, with Bugs coming along. The chase goes from Las Vegas to Area 52, where Mother, a spy chief, equips them, to the Louvre in Paris, where they jump through famous paintings, and then to Africa. Joe Dante directed, with Brendan Fraser as DJ, Jenna Elfman as Kate, Steve Martin as Mr. Chairman and Timothy Dalton as Damian.
Looney Tunes: Back in Action ending explained
Mr. Chairman gets the diamond and plans to turn everyone on Earth into monkeys who will buy Acme products, using a satellite. In space, Bugs beats Marvin the Martian and Daffy, as Duck Dodgers, splits the beam, which turns Mr. Chairman into a monkey. Damian is saved and DJ and Kate get together. Bugs promises Daffy an equal partnership, and the Looney Tunes end rings close in and squash Daffy. Porky tries to say "That's all, folks!" but the studio shuts down before he can finish.
Where to watch Looney Tunes: Back in Action
Looney Tunes: Back in Action isn't on a US streaming service right now. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 5.8/10, Rotten Tomatoes 57%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Baby Looney Tunes, before Loonatics Unleashed.
- Chronological order: after Baby Looney Tunes, before Loonatics Unleashed.
What to watch before Looney Tunes: Back in Action
In release order, 7 Looney Tunes essentials come before Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003), from Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies (1930) to Space Jam (1996).
Cast
- Brendan Fraser as DJ Drake / Tasmanian Devil (voice) / She-Devil (voice) / Self
- Jenna Elfman as Kate
- Steve Martin as Mr. Chairman
- Joe Alaskey as Bugs Bunny-Daffy Duck / Beaky Buzzard / Sylvester / Mama Bear (voice)
- Jeff Bennett as Yosemite Sam / Foghorn Leghorn / Nasty Canasta (voice)
- Timothy Dalton as Damien Drake
- Billy West as Elmer Fudd / Peter Lorre (voice)
- Heather Locklear as Dusty Tails
- Joan Cusack as Mother
- Bill Goldberg as Mr. Smith
- Don Stanton as Mr. Warner
- Dan Stanton as Mr. Warner's Brother
Directed by Joe Dante.