Movie Review: Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers

Who doesn't remember Chip n' Dale? The dynamic chipmunk duo are a major part of the Disney vault, Originally created in 1943, the pair had their break out roles during the 90's with their animated children's show titled Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers. It was a great addition to the Saturday morning cartton library and gave the chipmunks a platform to redefine themselves and associate with a new generation of Disney fans.  That legacy they created with this television show is the primary foundation of the newest feature length currently streaming on Disney+.

The 2022 film, with the same name of the show follows Chip and Dale in a semi-realistic environment in which we see how the pair have grown and split apart leading into modern day. Similar in scope and style to Who Framed Roger Rabbit we see cartoons and humans living side by side and it plays out like a clever commentary on the relevancy of classic cartoon characters in a modern age.  Chip and Dale in this story have grown apart after Rescue Rangers was cancelled and haven't spoken to each other in years. It's only when they received a call from lifelong friend Monterey Jack who is being threatened by a gangster called Sweet Pete. Jack explains Pete runs a bootlegging operation in which cartoon characters are kidnapped and bootlegged to perform in rip off movies against their will. After Jack soon disappears it's down to Chip and Dale to work together to work out what happened to their friend while digging deep into the seedy underbelly of the animated world in Los Angeles.  

As far as the storyline goes, I think it's a very conventional buddy-cop/rekindled relationship story for the most part. You see these style of stories often enough in these type of films where people who spent years apart and no longer talk to one another have to find a way to rekindle a fractured relationship in light of a greater duty. It's not the overall plot that will think of when I recall this film in all honesty. It feels like a means to an end for the most part. The other aspect of the film though is the history and love behind the Rescue Rangers TV show and this film takes every opportunity to help reminisce and reinforce why this show was so beloved for a lot of people. There's a whole load of easter eggs and refences layered in the film in relation to the show and you get a real sense but the people making this story really care and understand what made the original show so special. 

The biggest and more admirable part of the film is easily the wider world it is based in. This film does a fantastic job in utilising an entire library of cartoon characters, ranging from some well known faces to some more obscure ones of note. These cameos never feel forced in my opinion either. There's a wide collection but they feel tied in nicely to the overarching plot. The way they're brought into the narrative too is really clever and baked with humour. This film in it's entirety feels so smart and funny and it never wavers in trying to deliver a story which feels respectful to the source material but playing a funny commentary on everything that ties into the world of cartoons.

In a lot of ways Chip n' Dale: Rescue Rangers does a fantastic job in giving the modern generation a film akin to Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It doesn't copy that film, but it utilises a very similar concept but keeps the core focus on Chip n' Dale and the audience who formed an attachment to them. It's a light hearted film filled to the brim with so much heart and humour and I would happily recommend it to anyone who loves Chip n' Dale or the golden age of 80's/90's cartoons.