The highly anticipated sequel to the 1996 classic Space Jam has finally arrived. Alas, critics haven't been pleased with Space Jam: A New Legacy but casual viewers seemed to appreciate it more (it currently holds an 81% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes). Part of its appeal is the fun characters involved in the story.
Like its predecessor, the film has the world's biggest basketball star and the Looney Tunes at its center but this one also features cameos from other Warner Bros. properties and a few key family members for LeBron James. Some of these characters get more shine and are better than others, though.
Kamiyah James
When the trailers first dropped for this movie, many were intrigued by the appearance of Sonequa Maritn-Green. The talented actor has been a highlight of shows like The Walking Dead and Star Trek: Discovery. So, it was disappointing that she was given so little to do in this movie.
As LeBron's wife and the mother to his children, she could've helped bridge the gap the two had in terms of their views. Instead, she only gets one true scene with LeBron early on and then just has a few decently funny moments looking for him and being at the game itself.
Al-G Rhythm
Speaking of fantastic actors who didn't fully shine in this film, there's Don Cheadle as Al-G Rhythm. His name is a play on the word algorithm since he's the evil A.I. that sets the story into motion. However, he somewhat misses as a villain for a few reasons.
Although Cheadle's performance is enjoyable, Al-G Rhythm has a plan that doesn't totally make sense and left some audience members scratching their heads. His attempts to bond with Dom were decent and his final form in the game works well enough but he's overshadowed by others.
The Goon Squad
Among the villains who are more interesting than Al-G Rhythm is the team that he puts together. Going up against LeBron and his teammates were the Goon Squad, which consisted of overpowered, modified video game versions of real life NBA and WNBA players.
While Anthony Davis' Brow wasn't great, Damian Lillard as Chronos with time-altering powers was cool and made him formidable. Wet-Fire (Klay Thompson), Arachnneka (Nneka Ogwumike), and White Mamba (Diana Taurasi) also had some standout moments that fans will remember.
Porky Pig
It's hard to pin down each of the Looney Tunes and place them due to most of them not playing a huge role. However, a few are given moments where they showcased their entertainment factor and Porky Pig (Eric Bauza) was one of the first to do so. It started when he was running the camera for Daffy Duck's superhero antics.
Things got taken to the next level during the game itself, as Al-G Rhythm accidentally triggered a rap battle. Despite his history of stuttering, Porky was the one to step up and freestyle rap against the villain, cutting him down verbally and stealing the show for a few minutes.
Dominic James
At the heart of the story is the relationship between LeBron James and his son Dominic (Cedric Joe). All Dominic wants to do is work on video games but he clashes with his dad over that since LeBron wants him to play basketball. They also went at it over taking things too seriously.
Dom's game that he creates feels a lot like NBA Jam but is clearly well made and a blast to play. That proved that Dom was smart and knew how to have a good time but he is also very easily manipulated by Al-G Rhythm and takes a long time to understand that the stakes were real.
LeBron James
When LeBron James starred in Trainwreck, many praised his comedic timing. Unfortunately, Space Jam: A New Legacy focused a bit too much on his dramatic talents, which aren't as polished. That made it tough to buy into the conflict he had with his son.
Also, LeBron is a bit too mean early on, coming across as someone who doesn't understand how to have fun at all. It made him unlikable for the third two-thirds or so of the movie. He eventually figured things out, grew to understand his son, and became a better person but those early moments held him back.
Speedy Gonzalez
As noted, many of the Looney Tunes are side characters who don't get a standout moment. Speedy Gonzalez (Gabriel Iglesias) falls into that category but for those who paid attention, he's one of the highlights of the film.
Although he's not always seen on screen, Speedy can be heard delivering some hilarious one-liners and quips in the background. The best part is that they mostly come in Spanish, so they stick out from what the rest of the characters say. Speedy makes the most of what he's given.
Granny
Considering that Speedy Gonzalez and Granny (Candi Milo) aren't among the Looney Tunes who are often household names, it might be surprising that they rank so high. Granny really gets some of the movie's best moments as she goes against the elderly gimmick of her character often.
There's her time spent in the locker room drinking martinis and there's especially her going up against Chronos. Granny is able to outsmart him and beat him to score for her team. When you realize that Granny was the cheerleader in the first installment, she has come far.
Lola Bunny
In the first Space Jam, it could be argued that Lola Bunny was the best character. She is still great this time around and Zendaya does a tremendous job of bringing her to life. Lola is immediately intriguing as she's found working with Wonder Woman (Rosario Dawson), proving that she's as tough as ever.
Lola brings that toughness and her basketball skills to help save the day for the Tune Squad. She helps give a speech to get the team going, makes some of the best plays on the court, and is compassionate given her care for both Bugs and LeBron's relationship with his son.
Bugs Bunny
There are times in Space Jam: A New Legacy where Bugs Bunny feels like he gets less to do than he did in the original movie. That might be the case but he's always around and is near the forefront of whatever is happening, including bringing the team together in the first place.
When LeBron agrees to do the move that will glitch the game, Bugs interrupts the play and steals the ball to pull it off himself. It's a sacrifice that helps them win the game and it's believed he'll get deleted. Ultimately, Bugs was fine but he wasn't sure that would happen, making it all the more heroic.