Reviews are (coming) in for “Space Jam: A New Legacy”, starring LeBron James. And while the initial critical response to the movie is skewing negative, the Los Angeles Lakers star has largely escaped the brunt of the criticism.
Here's a sample of the not-so-good, from a selection of Rotten Tomatoes' Top Critics.
Chicago-Sun Times: “I've never seen anything like it. I also hope to never see anything like it again, and I wish I could unsee what I HAVE seen.”
Arizona Republic: “James is an engaging presence, but as this season with the Lakers proved, he alone just isn't enough.”
New York Magazine/Vulture: “It fills a two-hour hole in the schedule, which will keep parents happy, and it brandishes the brand, which will keep shareholders happy. Whether it could have also been a good movie might not have crossed anyone's mind.”
The New York Times: “Several jokes actually stick. But the purposeful sensory overload mostly yields head-spinning stupefaction, leaving a viewer feeling like Wile E. Coyote after hitting a mesa wall.”
The Hollywood Reporter: “To whom this is meant to appeal is anyone's guess, except presumably the studio's marketing department.”
The Atlantic: “Space Jam: A New Legacy feels like a preview of a more terrifying, siloed future, one in which having an encyclopedic media library is more important than enjoying the work right in front of you.”
There are plenty of “positive” takes (per RT's system), too, though some critiqued the distracting nature of the CGI and Easter Eggs:
“Did the Goon Squad just dunk on LeBron James? Who cares when our eyeballs are busy identifying a group of rowdy fans as the Droogs from ‘A Clockwork Orange,'” wrote Variety's Amy Nicholson.
Channel Awesome: “Awkward garbage fluff…but it's very entertaining awkward garbage fluff.”
As of Wednesday night, “Space Jam: A New Legacy” has a 43% on the Tomatometer. For comparison's sake, the original “Space Jam”, starring Michael Jordan, holds a 44% on the Tomatometer (critics), with a 63% audience score.
The Tomatometer, it's important to remember, doesn't actually mean anything in relation to whether folks are simply entertained for an hour and 40 minutes. Plus, the critics are adult humans trying to evaluate a piece of popcorn entertainment directed at kids — in substance, visuals, and attention span.
For the most part, the animation itself seems to be positively received from the critics, at least as a technological achievement. LeBron James' performance has been favorably compared to Jordan's in many of the takes.
Also, there is apparently a rap interlude featuring Porky as “The Notorious P.I.G.”, which is unfortunate.
All that said: as long as the kids like it and LeBron is proud of it — which he clearly is — who cares?
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