Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers

 

Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
Starring John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, KiKi Layne, Will Arnett
Directed by Akiva Schaffer

The idea of a "reboot" is akin to a swear word nowadays, as it seems that everything nostalgic is getting a modern-day reboot in order to draw in the crowds who remembered the original show as well as newer viewers with the promise of something unique and fresh mixed in with the nostalgia, and more often than not is just a soul-less cash-grab by higher ups who notice that new intellectual properties aren't garnering a huge fanbase anymore. Reboots not just affect terrible movies (such as "Charlie's Angels," "The Mummy," and the like), but television as well, with shows like "Murphy Brown," "Charmed," "Charlie's Angels" (I see a pattern), "Uncle Buck," "90210," and "Melrose Place," who tried to bring back the old audiences and mix it with newer themes, but all fell incredibly short of their potential. Kids shows aren't immune to such travesties, most notably "Teen Titans Go!" which replaced the much more relatable and much more well-written "Teen Titans" show, and it seems that no intellectual property is safe. So when news came that "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers" was getting a reboot movie, it was met with extreme skepticism: hardly anyone remembers the original show (although, as a child of that era, I personally remember it, remember the theme song, and remember playing the NES game), and this seemed like another thing that no one asked for. Instead of going for a full-on reboot, however, director Akiva Schaffer turned the reboot idea on its head, providing an entertaining meta action comedy that reunites the lovable chipmunks not named Alvin, Simon, or Theodore.

Decades after "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers" was canceled due to Dale (Andy Samberg) wanting to branch out with his own show, Dale is still trying to rekindle that old fire by appearing at conventions and falsely thinking people even remembered the show, and spends his time with fellow cartoon rejects like Baloo, Tigra from "The Avengers: United They Stand," and Ugly Sonic. Meanwhile, Chip is a successful insurance salesman who lives alone with his dog and has no friends, and although he wants to admit it, still thinks of the past. When he gets a call from Monterey Jack (Eric Bana), Chip finds out that someone is kidnapping old cartoon characters and giving them surgery to hide their identity and make bootleg movies. Monterey also calls Dale, and the two have an uncomfortable reunion, but when Monterey is kidnapped, they come back together and work with Detective Ellie Steckler (KiKi Layne) to find their friend, who's been taken by a grown-up, washed-up Peter Pan who now goes by Sweet Pete (Will Arnett).

Back in the late 80s, there was a movie called "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" that blended animation and live-action in a way that was unseen before in cinema, but since then it's been done multiple times with films like "Looney Tunes: Back in Action" and "Space Jam," and now with "Rescue Rangers" (who also give a humorous nod to Roger Rabbit in the movie). It's always an interesting contrast to see live action and animation co-habitating side-by-side, and for it to be done in a believable way, which "Rescue Rangers" does well. You feel like you understand that while the detective of the LAPD is a live-action female, the chief of police is a Gumby-like figure, and it just works for some reason.

Also like "Roger Rabbit," "Rescue Rangers" centers around the seedy underworld of animation characters, as Chip and Dale go in search of their missing friend, who they fear has undergone unwanted plastic surgery to change his appearance to throw him into cheap, direct-to-DVD bootleg movies. It's oddly adult for a film based on a children's show, but that might be the purpose: to draw in those very few who actually remembered the show fondly, and see how it all comes together. Here, it's not about a "reboot," but rather a unique "re-telling" of a long-gone franchise that's infused with meta humor and a classic story.

The story revolves around Chip and Dale and their need to reconnect as well as solve the most important case of their lives - even though they were never real detectives in the first place. Again, hints of films like "Wes Craven's New Nightmare" come to mind in the fact that this feels like a real-life film about the actors and not a movie about the actors playing their characters in a movie, if that makes sense. Again, it's a wholly unique way to do a reboot, and while it doesn't necessarily always land, it pulls off more impressive feats than I could've imagined it to do.

The voice acting talents of John Mulaney and Andy Samberg are in full affect as Chip and Dale, with each of them having their own chips (heh) on their shoulders: Chip is secretly upset that Dale wanted to do his own thing which led to the show's cancellation, while Dale was tired of playing second banana to Chip, and has spent his adult life chasing after that high he once had (even undergoing "CGI surgery"). Along with the likes of Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, J.K. Simmons, Eric Bana, and Keegan-Michael Key, the voice talent is impeccable, as is with "If Beale Street Could Talk" star KiKi Layne, who gives Detective Steckler a fun persona as a character who's obsessed with the classic show.

The animation is rightfully all over the place, and that in itself tells a story not just about the history of animation in cinema, but sometimes how it went terribly, terribly wrong. One of the biggest running gags in the movie is the character Ugly Sonic, who everyone knows was the original design of the "Sonic the Hedgehog" movie in 2020. It was so lambasted on social media (especially its human teeth) that the production company spent millions to give Sonic his video-game appearance, and was met with resounding success. Yet this Ugly Sonic lives on in "Rescue Rangers" as a washed-out character who can't find work due to his...ugliness. Then there's Seth Rogen's Viking dwarf who is mocked in the movie as having dead eyes that isn't looking at the characters he's talking to, which is an obvious hit to the awful 2000s style animation in films like "Beowulf" and especially "The Polar Express," and reminds us of how far we've come in twenty short years of animation.

While the story itself is generic and akin to a classic detective caper, it's the nostalgia and the relationship between Chip and Dale that makes the film more endearing than it should - along with the truckloads of cameos and other references that'll have you re-watching the film to find all the hints you missed. Even though it's geared for kids, it's something that parents can enjoy as well - especially those faithful few who actually remember "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers" with fondness and who still sometimes play the NES game on their emulators...not that I do that anymore...

The Score: A-