Let's be honest: the original Space Jam was not a great movie. It holds nostalgia in our eyes because it starred the greatest basketball player of all time next to some of our favorite cartoons. However, the original Space Jam looks like a classic compared to this overly produced mess of a sequel.
First off, let's get something straight. LeBron James is an amazing basketball player and he's very popular with young adults. However, he does not have the same aura about him that Michael Jordan did. MJ came at a time when being a celebrity wasn't so ubiquitous like it is now with the Internet and social media. Also, media is so fragmented now that we really don't have those "shared" experiences like we once did. EVERYONE knew MJ and the Chicago Bulls, basketball fans or not. I'm not sure LeBron has that same appeal. Also, even if people didn't like MJ, they respected him. Maybe it's because he gets political, or maybe because he switches teams, I don't know why, but LeBron is much more polarizing. Maybe it's just the cultural climate we live in today, but there are a lot of people who straight up don't like the guy.
The second thing is how corporate this movie is. So many product placements and pseudo commercials all over the place. It takes people out of the story and makes it feel like you are just watching endless commercials for 120 minutes.
Third, 120 minutes is way too long for families. 90 minutes or less. Kids loss attention after that. So do adults.
This movie is fine if you are looking for something to do for 2 hours, but there are better ways to spend that time than watching a lukewarm, unnecessary, over the top commercial showcase designed as a sequel to Space Jam.
