Buckets or Bricks?: ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ Review

Full disclosure, I grew up on Space Jam. When I was a kid, I wore out my VHS and pretty much memorized the movie from how much I’d watch it. However, looking back on it, it’s not that great of a movie. Fun for sure but let’s not act like it’s some great piece of cinema. Nor was it trying to be or has to be. It’s a fun kids movie that’ll keep a special place in the hearts of many who also grew up on it. So when Space Jam: A New Legacy was announced, like many, I was annoyed. “Why are they making another one? They’re ruining my childhood! Etc etc…” So how does this new iteration stack up? Honestly, y’all can put down your pitchforks and torches. For better or worse, it’s more or less the same movie.

What’s Old is New Again The story of Space Jam: A New Legacy is a competent one, and honestly better than the original. LeBron James is trying to connect to his son through basketball. His son, Dom James (Cedric Joe), wants to build video games. Both end up in the “Server-verse,” when a rogue AI, Al-G Rhythm (get it, algorithm…) played by Don Cheadle, kidnaps and tricks Dom into playing against his father in basketball. Got all that? Kids will love when LJ becomes a cartoon and interacts with Bugs and the gang. Going to different worlds and recruiting the different characters we know and love is a pretty fun segment. Lots of cameos and movie drops that most of the adults and parents will know but not really the kids. Who was this made for? A lot of the jokes and gags seem t…