I don’t know where to start with this because if you keep up with my “Hear Me Out’s,” then you know where I stand, but go back and read what I said because it was valid. Let’s watch this trailer first.
*deep sigh* Let me introduce the premise of the movie, lean in to what I do like and end with everyone’s favorite, why I don’t like this sequel.
The synopsis of the movie is enough to make me not watch it and paints the main character, James, as a close minded parent but here we go. James has a son named Dom, played by Cedric Joe, who enjoys creating video games instead of playing them, a parent’s dream but I digress. Dom’s skills attract the attention of Al G Rhythm, played by everyone’s favorite Don Cheadle, who wants to use Dom as leverage to get to James. Why you might ask? Social media followers. Yes, you read that right. He wants his followers. We will discuss further after awhile. But Al is fair. He gives James the old Tune Squad, which have somehow become an unruly bunch of misfits since the last time we saw them. The Tune Squad will face off against the “Goon Squad”, not the Monstars, in this new version. The Goon Squad being digitized basketball champions. I assume this is their way of cheating in this version.
Let’s talk about what is endearing about Space Jam: A New Legacy, shall we? The Tune Squad is back! Zendaya will be voicing Lola Bunny, Bugs is back as point and apparently, all of the Paramount characters will be fair game. It seems like either they’ll be in the audience or they’ll come off the bench. Who knows? Malcolm D. Lee (yes, he is related to Spike Lee. He’s his cousin and spent summer’s with Lee.) who directed Girls Trip, Roll Bounce and The Best Man. The Coogler family is involved. He and his wife, Zinzi, are executive producers and his brother is one of the screenwriters. Gabriel Iglesias is voicing Speedy Gonzales, who I wasn’t a character in the original. They’ve added WNBA players, which is phenomenal and not even a thought in the original because the WNBA was established the same year as this movie. The new uniforms look great. I will buy a jersey whenever they release them for sale, and they will. The setup for this, on paper, is grand and I love that….and that is where that ends.
I don’t want to do a comparison just yet of both movies. I want to save that until I actually see the new iteration. What I will say is that the plot of the movie is shallow. First off, I just do not understand why a parent would be concerned that his child is only interested in creating video games and not playing them. As I said earlier, that is a dream for any parent. Your child knowing what they’re going to do, in a field that is not easy to break into and has the potential to make the kid a millionaire. Maybe that will be flushed out in the movie but. if this is it, I’m not enthused and it will annoy me. So, I assume that the Goon Squad characters will mimic various basketball players in both leagues. I liked the original storyline for the opposing team but I digress. All in all, this movie is Ready Player One and Wreak-It-Ralph starring Lebron James and that is not what we need or want. Everything does not need a remake or a sequel. There was no reason for James to say yes to literally following in the footsteps of Michael Jordan. Personally, this is a very bold move for James, Coogler and Lee but do what you want. I don’t even know
Space Jam: A New Legacy premieres on HBO Max and in theaters, cause they will be open an are open, July 16th.
BLACK WATCH 