‘Space Jam 2: A New Legacy’ (2021) Review
'Space Jam 2: A New Legacy' (2021) Review: Nostalgic Noise I’ll admit it. It’s fun to be (at the movies) in 2021. The recent slate of blockbuster movies have been a reminder of how good they can be. The winning combination of state of the art visual effects with compelling and fantastical stories. It’s been a good ride, but all things must come to an end. That end comes with ‘Space Jam 2: A New Legacy’, the year’s first major disappointment. It’s hard to call something a disappointment if there wasn’t much hope for it to begin with. This sequel to the 1996 original features Lebron James as himself, trapped by a movie studio algorithm, played by Don Cheadle, one of the movie’s few saving graces. Lebron is forced to play a game of basketball to save his son. As nonsensical as it sounds, it’s a comfort that ‘Space Jam 2’ doesn’t spend too much time on its premise. More time is spent keeping up with the James’. Lebron’s fictional family anchors the basketball legend as a flawed protagonist. He loves his wife, his kids, but his son would rather create an entire video game than pick up a basketball. He’s a father struggling to understand his kids, while trying to show them who he is. It’s an endearing role, full of pathos, and not one Lebron James is remotely capable of pulling off. In every scene the main character looks befuddled and confused, whether…
