'Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022)' is something of a small miracle. To call it the modern-day 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)' wouldn't be inaccurate, and not just because Roger Rabbit himself makes an early cameo appearance. It's a mix of live-action and a variety of animation styles, filled to the brim with characters from across a multitude of IPs. I have no idea how Disney managed to convince Universal, Paramount, 20th Century Fox (well, not so much them), Dreamworks, Warner Brothers and Sony to lend them their characters. Somehow, the movie avoids being a soulless effort to capitalise on the recent boom in fan culture. Instead, it subverts all expectations and is remarkably self-aware. It's an absolute blast when it gets going. Even though it technically is pandering to its audience, it doesn't feel like it is. It feels genuine right to its core, allowing even its most banal references and cameos (some of which turn out to be actual characters) to feel fresh and charming. It's a joyous, funny and well-achieved buddy cop comedy. It's utterly amazing that Disney let the filmmakers get away with most of this. I wish the studio would loosen up more often and give their creators more control. Sadly, they'll probably see the success of this and attempt to exert more control on the sequel now that it's a more successful IP, likely ruining it in the process. At least we'll always have this film as an example of what could happen if they loosened the reins every once in a while.
