Directed By:
Akiva Schaffer
Written By:
Dan Gregor, Doug Mand
Starring:
John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen
Genre:
Comedy, Family, Romance
Rated: PG for mild action and rude/suggestive humor
All media used courtesy of Disney
What do you get when you combine John Mulaney and Andy Samberg’s comedy chops, with a ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ twist on a beloved Disney duo? Look no further than Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers. In this revamp of the characters, a new mystery has brought Chip and Dale back together after a breakup split them apart. Chip moved on to become an insurance salesman, and Dale started making the con circuits, further drifting away from relevancy. When the two realize some of their fellow characters have gone missing, it’s up to them to uncover the truth of their fellow animated characters being ‘bootlegged’, but will they be able to be a team again?
I loved Chip N’ Dale as a kid. I grew up with the show, and can recite the theme song nearly perfect. Pair that with some of my favorite comedians in the business and throw in a sprinkle of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and you’ve got one of the funniest animated films of the year– maybe the funniest film of the year in general.
First I had a lot of fun with the story. It’s very original but mines through the IP of many different properties, and give those moments the time they need to pay off. I liked where we set Chip and Dale’s relationship with each other, the chemistry with Mulaney and Samberg was fantastic, and the supporting characters are hilarious. Not to get into too many spoilers, but there is a certain character brought back from the dead that is horrifying, funny, and impactful to the story and I loved that they were brought into the film.
‘Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers’ is straight madness, and sometimes that madness can be a little overplayed. The spirit of Who Framed Roger Rabbit is all around this film, but Roger Rabbit is able to balance the tone of real-world situations with cartoon characters in that environment. There are a lot of great points in Rescue Rangers but a Roger Rabbit they are not. Still, this is one of the better comedies of the year and certainly a very good animated film for any kids or adults to enjoy.
