Almost thirty-five years ago, Who Framed Roger Rabbit gave audiences a film that seamlessly blended live-action and animation, with a story that felt like it existed without trademarks and copyrights. In this world where animated characters and human beings live amongst each other, Roger Rabbit felt mind-blowing at the time, as characters like Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny could interact within a scene together, and as time goes on, it’s even more remarkable that this confluence of studios could ever exist. While there were attempts to make a Roger Rabbit sequel, and other films like Space Jam: A New Legacy and Ready Player One have attempted to meld as many properties as possible, none have utilized multiple IPs into an effective narrative quite as well as Roger Rabbit did all those years ago. However, with Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Disney finally has made a spiritual successor to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, a remarkably ambitious and hilarious live-action/animation hybrid that is also one of the best comedies of the year.

Thirty years after the Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers series and its three successful seasons, Chip (voiced by John Mulaney) now works as an insurance salesman, while Dale (voiced by Andy Samberg) has undergone CGI surgery and is working conventions with other animated stars of the past. When it turns out their old Rescue Rangers buddy Monterey Jack (voiced by Eric Bana) has become the latest in a string of toon kidnappings, the two chipmunks finally reunite to try to find their friend.

Directed by Akiva Schaffer (Hot Rod, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping) and written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand (both of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and How I Met Your Mother), Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers also takes place in a world of both humans and animated characters. Chip ’n Dale has an absurd amount of fun exploring and playing with all types of animation here. In their hunt for Monterey, the chipmunk duo meet with Captain Putty (voiced by J. K. Simmons) a claymation detective, and go to an area of town comprised of early 2000s CGI animations who have “Polar Express eyes.”

Chip and Dale compare their different animation styles

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Instead of feeling like as much IP crammed into an hour-and-a-half as possible, Schaffer, Gregor, and Mand both criticize the lack of original concepts in films and television shows, while also showing just how brilliantly reusing old ideas can be when handled well. Unlike, say Space Jam: A New Legacy, which throws in references for reference-sake, Chip ’n Dale adds references as a way to build this animated-human hybrid world. For example, Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast also now works the convention circuit with Dale, and posters around the city show insane projects coming soon, like “Fast & Furious Babies” and “Lego Miserables.” In a world where Chun-Li has a star on the Walk of Fame, and Meryl Streep is starring in “Mr. Doubtfire,” Chip ’n Dale shows the ludicrous nature of recycling old ideas.

Yet it does this in a film that recycles an old idea remarkably well. Both Mulaney and Samberg are perfect choices for Chip and Dale, and the entire cast is impeccably chosen, from Seth Rogen reprising several of his animated roles—and not just from his Disney project either—while Tim Robinson voices what might be one of the most insane cameos in a film packed with absurd cameos. But Rescue Rangers manages to embrace the TV show’s past, while also telling a new story in a refreshing way, where these characters use what they learned on the show in order to solve a crime in the real world. There are direct references to specific episodes of the original show, but, again, it all serves a narrative purpose, as opposed to just throwing in references for the old-school fans.

Schaffer’s comedic sensibilities are ideal for this type of story, as films like Popstar were brimming with references and quick jokes, as was The Lego Movie, which he produced. Like those other films, Schaffer knows how to throw a ton of jokes and gags at the audience without ever making the film feel overwhelming, and always making the story the priority. Gregor and Mand’s script allows for all this playfulness, but does so with a compelling mystery that utilizes the impressive world they’re playing in, and with a surprisingly touching story about two friends who once meant the world to each other finally reuniting and realizing how great they were together.

Chip n Dale Rescue Rangers 2022

And for a studio that is historically protective of its properties, hats off to Disney for allowing Schaffer, Gregor, and Mand to apparently have free rein over these properties. This is a film that allows an adult Peter Pan (voiced by Will Arnett) to be the film’s main villain, and to poke fun at Disney’s long history of animated properties. But even more impressive is how Rescue Rangers manages to throw so much non-Disney IP into the mix. Without spoiling any of Rescue Rangers’ biggest surprises, it’s truly shocking that this film is able to combine so many characters from all sorts of studios and brands into one cohesive world. It’s clear that Rescue Rangers has a love and admiration for Roger Rabbit—with the title character even appearing in the film’s opening minutes—but it’s Rescue Rangers’ ability to bring all these characters together that can make the viewer feel like a kid again.

Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers is an ingenious parody of our IP-obsessed culture that also manages to show how joyous and brilliant this combination and celebration of old properties can be when done extremely well. As Chip and Dale both say throughout Rescue Rangers, “the biggest risk is not taking any risk at all,” and with Rescue Rangers, this gigantic swing pays off with an inventive revival that is full of wonder and imagination.

Rating: A-

Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers comes to Disney+ on May 20.