When Disney first announced they were developing a movie based on Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers, few could imagine the end result would end up quite like this. A live-action/animation hybrid brought to you by the creative forces from the sketch comedy troupe The Lonely Island, this satirical film provides plenty of adult innuendos, pop culture cameos, and meta commentary on Hollywood reboots.
The World Needs Heroes
The film follows the titular Chip and Dale characters as they navigate the world thirty years after the show that launched them to super stardom ended. The two had a falling out behind the scenes and rarely speak to each other. Yet after an old friend vanishes, they must team up to investigate a series of disappearances of cartoon characters.
The world Chip and Dale inhabit is populated by both human and animated lifeforms, akin to Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Some are animated in a hand-drawn style and others in CGI. This is due to a cosmetic surgery some characters choose to “upgrade,” hence why Dale is computer-generated and Chip is not.
Nothing is Sacred Here
There are an astounding number of cameos from animation, both past and present. These include characters outside of the Disney canon from other studios. Seeing them all together makes the film worth it on its own if you are a pop culture geek.
Also like Roger Rabbit, there is consistent underlying humor that only adults will pick up on, despite the film’s PG-rating. Mice that are addicted to cheese is used as a stand-in for drug addition. It’s hinted that one character is a male stripper.
Plus some truly dark things happen to some of the animated characters that push the boundaries of a kid’s film, including to beloved favorites from the Disney classics. Certain audiences may find this distasteful. Others will laugh at the complete irreverence on display.
The Verdict- Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers Review
Plot-wise, the film is just okay. The friendship between Chip and Dale attempts to draw an emotional punch, but doesn’t quite stick the landing we’d expect from a Disney movie. Also Kiki Layne’s performance in the movie stands out as a bit too “made-for-TV.”
Despite these issues, Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers delivers some hilarious punchlines. If you are familiar with animation from the 80’s and 90’s (or keep up with today’s movie pop culture), then you will likely enjoy this movie for the satire it brings. The adult humor toes the line just enough to go over kid’s heads, but children still may not enjoy this movie as much as their parents.
For adult Disney+ subscribers this movie is worth a watch. I'm even hoping this Hollywood reboot gets a sequel.
Final Verdict:
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers stars Andy Samberg and John Mulaney. It is directed by Akiva Schaffer. The movie released on May 20, 2022 as a Disney+ exclusive and is rated PG. Run time 1h 37m.
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Will definitely check this film out, sounds funny.