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In the late ‘80s, Saturday mornings were loaded with fun-filled Disney cartoons. One of the popular series followed adventure-loving chipmunks Chip and Dale who solved crimes with their friends on Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers. And now the duo is back for another adventure in their own Disney+ movie.
Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers catches up with the lovable rodents 30 years after their show went off the air. Since then, Chip (voiced by John Mulaney) has settled into a desk job selling insurance, while Dale (Andy Samberg) has tried to stay in the business, getting an expensive CG surgery and making the rounds at fan fests. But when their old friend Monterey Jack (Eric Bana) calls them for help because he’s gotten into debt with a ruthless tough guy known as Sweet Pete (Will Arnett), they know that they have to team back up for Monty.
As Chip and Dale head out on one more mission, viewers will soon find that this isn’t the kind of adventure that they remember from their Saturday mornings. Instead of squeaky chipmunk voices, Chip and Dale have grown-man voices. The mix of live-action, CGI, and hand-drawn animation styles can be off-putting (especially Dale’s CGI, which seems entirely unnecessary). And the edgier Who Framed Roger Rabbit? feel to the story seems a little out of place.
In fact, it’s pretty clear that this Rescue Rangers movie wasn’t really made for kids; it was made for the grown-up fans who once, 30 years ago, tuned in on Saturday mornings. Though they may be older now—their taste in entertainment clearly more discerning—they’re drawn to the feelings of nostalgia that a movie like this one brings, while pretending that they’re just watching it for their kids. They may have grown tired and cynical—and, deep down, they’ll be happy to see that they’re not the only ones—because Chip has, too.
Still, despite the grown-up themes—the cynical characters, the jokes about things like fan conventions and washed-up stars and their addictions, and the off-putting animation—the nostalgia of it all will make it fun for parents, while the silly characters will be enough to keep kids entertained (even if much of the humor goes over their heads).
If you grew up watching Chip and Dale, then, the nostalgia of Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers is enough to make it worth checking out. Just don’t expect more of the same fun-filled chipmunk adventures of the ‘80s from this gimmicky updated adaptation.
You can stream Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers on Disney+ starting on May 20, 2022.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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