Review of Space Jam (1996) by Shelbie T — 21 Aug 2017

I know a lot of millenials are going to get mad at me for this, but I have to admit that Space Jam wasn't that great. As a kid, like several others in the mid-90's, I enjoyed the heck out of it. But watching it now as a 24-year-old college grad, it all seems so dated.

Admittedly, Space Jam is really just a product of its time. Michael Jordan was making his basketball comeback from his "retirement", and his line of sneakers, Air Jordan, was immensely successful throughout the '90's.

WB and Nike teamed up for an epic Super Bowl ad in 1993 and created an ad featuring Bugs Bunny and Jordan, which fared well. So honestly, Space Jam seemed less like a film and more or less a 90-minute Air Jordan ad.

The animation is great, and so is the soundtrack. However, the character development is slack and the jokes run paper thin. And it is filled with product placement, all involving Michael Jordan.

Final Thought: If you want to relive old childhood memories, by all means, go ahead and slam and enjoy the jam. But don't let my harsh criticism persuade you otherwise.