Review: Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers

It was before the first line of dialogue in Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers that I found myself saying,

“This could’ve done well in theaters.”

The point practically goes without saying now. We’re at least a few years out from major studios putting anything but their safest bets in theaters. This summer, Disney’s putting a Predator movie straight to Hulu.

Still, all the pieces are here. Chip ‘n Dale is right in the nostalgia sweet spot, franchise family movies are still raking in cash, and John Mulaney’s the biggest name in comedy (for now). As a spiritual successor to Roger Rabbit, this film could’ve become a phenomenon with a big-screen push behind it.

And yet, as I review it, I find myself kind of appreciating it as a streaming movie. I would’ve loved it on the big screen—it’s the funniest movie of 2022 so far—but the fact that it’s not an ~event picture~ is part of what makes its charms shine through.

The film is wise to avoid connecting itself too heavily to Roger Rabbit. There are hints, but the distance allows it to develop its own sense of worldbuilding. It also covers for the, er, less impressive integration of “2D” animation. 

While it was clowned on in the trailers, I think it comes off okay in the final product. This film is really an homage to the broad spectrum of animation, including the many new developments since ‘88. One memorable sequence sends up the uncanny mo-cap of ‘00s Zemeckis movies. J.K. Simmons plays Detective Putty, a character produced in Gumby-style claymation.

In the 30 years after Rescue Rangers gets canceled, Chip and Dale haven’t spoken. Chip (Mulaney) is a dejected insurance salesman who lives alone with his dog. Dale (Andy Samberg) is working the convention circuit, coasting off nostalgia and trying to get a Rescue Rangers reboot off the ground.

They reunite by chance at the home of castmate Monterey Jack (Eric Bana), now drowning in debt from his cheese addiction. It’s only after Jack goes missing that Chip and Dale are forced to come together, working alongside rookie cop Ellie Steckler (KiKi Layne) to solve the case.

At a brisk 97 minutes, it manages to feel both breezy and dense. It’s never overwhelming, but looking back on it, it never fails to squeeze out a good gag. Part of this is the solid script by Crazy Ex-Girlfriend alums Dan Gregor and Doug Mand. 

The less obvious brilliance, though, comes from Lonely Island director Akiva Schaffer. There’s not a single shot in this film that isn’t grounded in live-action reality, and yet only one major player is a live-action character. It’s incredibly rare to see a live action-animation hybrid with as much visual life as Chip ‘n Dale has.

What’s not to like? A few things, actually. Many have called the portrayal of an older, bedraggled Peter Pan distasteful given the tragic story of actor Bobby Driscoll. I think the intent was to show an irreverence for Disney, which is part of what gives this film a unique identity, but it’s easy to see how it could come off as the inverse.

The real head-scratcher for me is the portrayal of Gadget (Tress MacNeille). Possibly the most beloved character from Rescue Rangers, she becomes a third-act MacGuffin here. I see the appeal of making her a “reveal,” but when the gag of her character is that she’s exactly like she is on the show, it feels more half-baked than anything else.

There’s a good chance that the idea was to save Gadget for whatever the next chapter of this franchise is. That’s the thing: Chip ‘n Dale is a parody of reboots, but it also is a reboot. They have every intention of revisiting it if it proves successful, and it seems like it has.

It’s the same issue with the Bobby Driscoll controversy. This film is a mockery of Disney corporate interests, but it’s also playing directly into them. The final shot of this movie hints at other Disney Afternoon characters stepping into this world. I would love to see that specific character get their own film in this vein, but isn’t a parody-of-franchises franchise sort of self-defeating?

I guess it would be a good thing if Disney started to move in this creative, irreverent direction. But if the end result is just another win for Disney, who’s really won?

But that’s just food for thought. For now, Chip ‘n Dale is a great time. There’s a lot of strong gags in it, and a pretty solid story underneath. While it plays at nostalgia, it succeeds because it never lets nostalgia take the place of humor, plot, or character. B+
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers is now available on Disney+.