As a self-declared LA’s most lovable female Clippers fan, I am extremely interested in watching basketball in all mediums, especially animated form. I watched Kuroko no Basket and the first Space Jam movie. I watched a good number of basketball movies such as Glory Road and others. Nothing in the world will make me miss watching Space Jam a New Legacy, especially since I do own HBO Max. I went into this movie with skepticism. Michael Jordan is a bigger than life figure and is one of the most recognizable, profitable athletes in the world. Space Jam made him even more likable for me. Would the new Space Jam do the same for Lebron James for me? With that question lingering in my head, I watched the movie from start to end and here is my immediate review of the modern version of a classic animated basketball movie!
To be honest, I watched this movie with my partner the day it was released on HBO Max. That was a couple of weeks ago. Usually, I try my best to type up my thoughts fresh and release the content as soon as possible. I decided to let this simmer. Why? When I like something enough but not impressed by it, I feel the need to sit and ponder for a while. Maybe that is just me. Anyways, the best word to describe Space Jam a New Legacy is overwhelmingly nonsensical. I’ll explain below.
The original Space Jam had direction, a clear message, funny moments, basketball, and a bigger than life figure to lead the way. Unfortunately, this new Space Jam lacked the basketball and to some extent, direction. Before I rant about the shortcomings of this movie, I want to praise the one aspect that it succeeded in- a clear message. I enjoy that the message of the movie is about allowing your children to pursue what they want to pursue, not what you as a parent want to pursue. It made Lebron James dislikable at first, only to redeem him later on as he learns a hard lesson- if you do not support your child, someone else will and you may lose them forever; it may not be to a digital world like in the movie, but emotionally which most of us can relate to. I feel like this difference alone made the two Space Jam movies distinct from each other in an excellent way. Bravo there.
As for rest of Space Jam a New Legacy, it is kind of…. a mess. An overwhelming, in-your-face mess. There are references everywhere. There are moments of extreme satisfaction from various cameos. There are even scenes where you feel like you get the inside joke the film is going for. However, at the end of the day, it is just way too much that the movie lacks focus and direction. A good analogy that I can think of is when eating a high quality cut of steak. When I eat a steak that is extremely high quality, there is little to no seasoning and not a lot of sauce or topping. The steak itself is cooked well enough to stand on its own. With all the bells and whistles, it feels like Space Jam a New Legacy is a steak with lots of seasoning, sauce, and toppings. The steak or the plot is no longer the star of the movie. You walk out chuckling at maybe the references you get, but a bit underwhelmed and even perplexed about what the movie is all about. In a way, I can argue that the numerous references are a distraction and did not add to the movie like it was intended to do.
Furthermore, I feel like for even a children’s movie, Space Jam a New Legacy is too childish. Let me explain. Though animated movies like Disney and Pixar are meant for children, there is a deeper meaning behind the plot and characters that can be understood and shared by audiences of all ages. Soul by Pixar recently is an excellent example of that. It is both for adults and children because its message is brilliant and can be received from anyone anywhere. The movie transcends being just a children’s movie. I feel that way towards the first Space Jam. There is something about Michael Jordan’s struggles and redemption in that movie that speak to me even though I watched it as an adult. But for this new adaption, the fact that the game of basketball has been changed so drastically to a nonsensical version of it with a lot of random moves and rules thrown in might be fun and exciting for children to watch, but it just feels extremely jarring and messy to an older audience member like myself. I appreciate that going away from the game of basketball is the point of the plot but at the same time, there is a line where it shouldn’t be crossed and Space Jam a New Legacy crossed it, disappointingly so.
Last but not least, let’s talk Lebron James. Sure, he was not the best actor but I do not fault him for this. He is a basketball player, not a actor. I feel like he did just good enough job to make the movie work. I actually think the plot and message of the movie fit him well. I did question one part of the movie where Lebron kept repeating that he is so focused on basketball and basketball alone because as a fan of the NBA, I know that is not the case. That describes Kobe Bryant way more than Lebron James. I actually respect Lebron James because he is so versatile in his interest from producing to assisting in basketball games. Moving past that inaccuracy, I quite enjoyed Lebron James as the protagonist of the movie. I think he is the type of main character that fits the contemporary audience and I have no complaints about that. I just wish the director and Lebron did less… rather than more with the movie. The original Space Jam did well enough. No need to tinker with a formula that worked. Oh well. Best of luck to the next Space Jam if there is ever another one.
Rating: 4.5/10
Geeky Musings with Anaitic 
love the steak reference! haha