Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers is Blast to the Past and Loads of Fun

Whenever I hear Chip n’ Dale or Alvin and The Chipmunks, my inner child immediately goes to that old holiday ditty ‘The Chipmunk Song/Christmas Time is Here.’  Well, Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers has changed everything.  I haven’t laughed out loud this hard in a long time.

With a crafty combo of live action and animation, this goofy, nostalgic trip down memory lane pokes fun at itself with a toon world and film noir-ish gumshoe plots that literally will have you rolling on the floor.

Director Akiva Schaffer’s “Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers,” is an ironic reboot of the short-lived cartoon series that aired on the Disney Channel from 1989 to 1990. Which begs the question of who hardly remembers the original ‘Rescue Rangers,’ AND who remember it fond affection? Thirty years after their popular television show ended, chipmunks Chip and Dale live very different lives until a cast member from the original series mysteriously disappears.  The pair reunites to save their friend and in the end save themselves and their friendship.

This concept of live action has been done numerous times dating back to Gene Kelly dancing with Jerry the Mouse in ‘Anchors Aweigh’ to ‘Roger Rabbit’ to ‘Space Jam.’  It works well this time and despite the slow pacing it’s still a riot to watch!  Between subtly clawing eyes out of the inner workings of Hollywood, split second toon cameos including ‘Ugly Sonic.’ a dirty cop made of putty and a bitter, a toon version of Comic con and an older diabolical Transformer-ish Peter Pan makes it all worth while.

There are some great lessons in friendship, being loyal, less selfish, trust and learning that the biggest risk in life is not taking any risk at all.  The jokes are biting with. a total adult tone which matches the tone of the characters voiced by John Mulaney (Chip), Andy Samberg (Dale), Tim Robinson (Ugly Sonic) make this crazy trip down memory lane totally worth the ride.

Produced by Disney Plus, this acerbic toon tale is streaming now and will delight kids and adults alike.