Wow all around...

Rating: 9/10 (12 October 2008)

A film noir involving corporate intrigue and wacky animation? Who wants to see that movie??
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is the story of Eddie Valiant, a detective who was once famous for tackling 'toon cases along with Teddy, his brother and partner. However, he slips into a life of alcoholism and odd PI jobs after Teddy dies at the hands of a 'toon. But everything changes for Eddie when he is hired by R.K. Maroon, a cartoon studio executive, to investigate some funny business (no pun intended) involving 'toon star Roger Rabbit and his wife Jessica.
This film is a marvel, both artistically and technologically. Its special effects still hold up today, 20 years after the film's initial release. If this were all Who Framed Roger Rabbit had going for it, that would be pretty amazing. However, the film also has spot-on performances and a great story and script. A film with such artistic *and* technical merits is really something special.
For me, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is also amazing because of how differently I have been able to see it over the years. When my 5-year-old self first saw it on its initial home video release, I loved the colorful world of Toontown, Roger's antics, and seeing my favorite cartoon stars side-by-side in the same movie. (Donald and Daffy in the same scene? That was heaven!) I did, however, run and hide from certain scenes later in the movie that I do not want to spoil for those lucky souls who still have yet to see this. As an adult now, I still love the movie as entertainment, but I can also appreciate all the work that went into its creation. It only takes a viewing of the DVD's special features to see that making this film was a painstaking process. Not to mention, in this age of computer animation, realizing that all the animation in this film was done by hand! Wow!
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a technological marvel, an artistic triumph, and an extremely entertaining film. Highly recommended, especially for animation lovers.