Space Jam: A New Legacy?

EVERYBODY GET UP, IT’S TIME TO… stop giving athletes their own movies. Space Jam: A New Legacy released today in theaters and streaming on HBO Max. A quarter century after the original Michael Jordan led hit arrived in theaters in 1996. In A New Legacy, Lebron James grabs the torch from MJ and picks up where the original left off. In the open we get a glimpse of child Lebron and the pressure put on his shoulders by his coach and family. We then see a video montage of Lebron’s real life accomplishments including his MVP awards and winning championships in three cities. Fast forward to the present and we see Lebron as an overbearing father who wants his young son Dom (who wants to be a video game developer) to follow in his footsteps on the basketball court even if it means abandoning his own dreams and aspirations. Dom is eventually kidnapped by a sentient algorithm played by Don Cheadle, who wants you to put some goddamn respect on his name, and Lebron is forced to team up with the Looney Tunes in a live streamed basketball game against fantastical versions of multiple NBA and WNBA stars for the fate of his family, fans, and the tunes themselves.

Thin as it is, the plot serves its purpose setting up the action scenes and driving home the “just be yourself” theme. The special effects and animation are high quality, mixing live action with 2D and 3D CGI characters convincingly. The actual basketball delivers as well (in general) and it feels as though a good deal of care was put into the making of A New Legacy. Where the film really falters is the on-screen performance of its star, Lebron James. Lebron is wooden, with little charisma or comedic timing and unfortunately we spend most of our time focused on the Akron Hammer. James is not fully to blame here as the writers have done him no favors. The script is overflowing with clichés and dated references while missing any genuine laughs or earned emotion. 

The lack of any emotional investment in the story or characters is exacerbated by unrelenting advertisements for Warner Bros. other intellectual properties. The film recreates iconic scenes from The Matrix and Casablanca,  visits “planets” dedicated to Harry Potter and the DC Universe, and features cameos from various actors and characters from the WB universe. The shameless nature of the self promotion makes it difficult to take the movie seriously or, because it is after all a kid’s movie, even lose yourself in a couple hours of mindless entertainment. A New Legacy should have been a lighthearted adventure featuring a megastar athlete and some of the most beloved children’s characters around. As it stands, the film we got comes off as a heavy handed commercial for WB shows and movies that no one asked for and no one will remember in a year. That might seem harsh given the fact that the first Space Jam was little more than an excuse for Michael Jordan to sell you more shoes, but the world and movie audiences have changed. It seems though that WB failed to change with them. 

That, however, doesn't mean A New Legacy has no redeeming qualities. Don Cheadle was very enjoyable as the main villain, Al G. Rhythm (algorithm), the rest of the cast performed as one would expect and even James showed more acting chops than Jordan in the lead role. A New Legacy faced an uphill battle with critics and fans who grew up with the original but when the curse of nostalgia is lifted, it’s easy to see the sequel is stronger than its predecessor in nearly every respect. Considering the intended audience, who will likely be excited rather than turned off by some of the ads, Space Jam: A New Legacy is a harmless if forgettable ride and a capable vehicle for selling Lebron James’ image to a younger group of fans, just don’t expect it to hold your attention if you’re over the age of 10.