Neither the previous two CGI RR/C cartoons 'Coyote Falls' and 'Fur of Flying' are as good as the very best of the Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote cartoons, a mostly hugely enjoyable series with the best of them being among the best and funniest Looney Tunes and Chuck Jones cartoons.
This said, they and 'Rabid Rider' are closer to the very good-classic Chuck Jones cartoons featuring this duo than the cartoons of the mid-late-60s. This was the period when Looney Tunes/Warner Brothers went vastly downhill in production value, characterisation, storytelling and humour quality, and the Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote cartoons made in this period were, along with the worst of the Daffy/Speedy cartoons, where this decline is most evident.
'Rabid Rider' has very little problematic. Very like 'Coyote Falls' and 'Fur of Flying', the main issue is that it is too short, only three minutes when the average RR/C cartoon was 6 to 7 minutes. And it was in 'Rabid Rider' where it felt particularly too brief in the pacing, which does occasionally feel rushed.
On the other hand, 'Rabid Rider' is a highly entertaining and well-made effort, and is superior to the feature film that succeeded it 'Yogi Bear' (which this reviewer didn't hate anywhere near as much as most did but it wasn't anything great at the same time). The animation, with excellent use of 3D that has a clear Chuck Jones influence, is bright, colourful, handsomely rendered and rich in detail and finesse. The music is characterful, lively and rousingly and beautifully orchestrated, again like the previous two cartoons it has a very classic Looney Tunes sound with all its qualities which was more than welcome. Far more preferable to the ill-fitting and cheap-sounding music of the mid-late-60s cartoons or the music of today, which would not have fitted and would have made it sound too modern.
Execution of the humour is beautifully done and none of the gags are less than amusing, most of them close on to hilarious without being among the funniest or most visually imaginative gags of the RR/C cartoons. The story moves quickly and is charming and fun, never dull, repetitive and tired even with a scenario that's quite familiar by now. Like 'Coyote Falls' and 'Fur of Flying', 'Rabid Rider' maintains the classic trademark personalities of both Roadrunner and Coyote. Roadrunner is never annoying and never too much of a plot device, instead he's amusing and cute. There's no doubt that Coyote's personality is funnier, more relatable and more interesting, not just here but in all their outings together, and Coyote carries the cartoon brilliantly. They work beautifully together too, their chemistry and conflict always convincing.
Overall, well-made and hugely entertaining. 8/10 Bethany Cox
