Wile E. Coyote has utilized various gadgets in his endless pursuit of the Road Runner over many years. However, what if his failure isn’t due to his own actions but rather the fault of the Acme Corporation? Could it be that the company producing items like the “Instant Tunnel” and the “Do-It-Yourself Tornado Kit” simply creates subpar products?
This is the central idea behind “Coyote vs. Acme,” where the protagonist seeks legal recourse against the Acme Corporation for the physical pain he has endured from using their products. The movie, completed in 2023, faced delays before finally making its way to theaters this Friday after being shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery and later revived by independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment.
To honor the film’s theme, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite anti-capitalist movies from the past four decades.
“RoboCop” (1987) by Paul Verhoeven envisions a future where a company named Omni Consumer Products controls the Detroit police force, with the titular man-machine caught in a corporate power struggle.
“They Live” (1988) directed by John Carpenter follows a man who discovers alien beings disguising themselves as humans and manipulating society to serve their own interests.
In “Fight Club” (1999), directed by David Fincher, the protagonist rebels against consumer culture by engaging in underground anti-capitalist activities led by the enigmatic Tyler Durden.
“Michael Clayton” (2007) starring George Clooney exposes the lengths corporations go to conceal their wrongdoing, as a fixer gets involved in a class-action lawsuit against a pesticide manufacturer.
“WALL-E” (2008) is a Pixar film set in a consumerist future where Earth is abandoned due to overconsumption, contrasting with the life of a lone robot left to clean up the mess.
“Sorry to Bother You” (2018) directed by Boots Riley explores capitalism and exploitation through the story of a telemarketer who uncovers dark secrets within a powerful corporation.
“How to Blow Up a Pipeline” (2022) depicts a group of activists planning to disrupt the fossil fuel industry through direct action, highlighting the challenges and consequences of radical environmentalism.