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by Emily Nagle

For the first time in three decades, Disney’s iconic crime-fighting chipmunks are back! Disney+ exclusive film “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers” picks up on Chip and Dale years after the cancellation of their television show, when the duo has parted ways after a falling-out. But when an old costar goes missing, it’s up to Chip and Dale to reunite and uncover the mystery behind his disappearance.

When I first heard Disney was making a revival of the “Rescue Rangers” cartoon, the first question that came to my mind was who the target audience would be. Considering the cartoon aired over thirty years ago, I wasn’t sure if the film would be targeted at the adults who grew up watching the show, or if it would be for children, which reboots sometimes do to refresh their franchise and introduce it to a new generation.

The plot of “Rescue Rangers” turns out to be one that is sure to appeal to both kids and adults. Set in a world cohabited by humans and cartoon characters, we learn the origin story of how Chip and Dale became so inseparable. As soon as they meet in elementary school, they become best friends and grow up to star in the popular “Rescue Rangers” series. When Dale accepts an offer to get his own show, him and Chip have a falling-out, leading to the cancellation of both shows.

In the present day, the duo has gone drastically different directions in life: Chip (John Mulaney) has moved on from his Hollywood era, having settled down in the suburbs as an insurance salesman, while fun-loving, adventurous Dale (Andy Samberg) continues to live in the glory days, making a living tabling at fan conventions (he also appears photorealistic, having had “CGI surgery”). Both of them get contacted by their old costar Monterey Jack (Eric Bana), who warns of a toon trafficking operation where characters get kidnapped, have their appearance altered, and get shipped overseas to film bootleg versions of their properties. Later that night, Monty gets kidnapped, and Chip and Dale begin an investigation.

The idea of a toon trafficking operation is a clever storyline; this movie could’ve gone the murder mystery route like lots of other films, but instead it puts a creative spin on the crime genre. Not to mention, this situation is a comical explanation for the abundance of laughably bad animated knock-offs on the market (especially those based on Disney films). It reminds me a bit of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but with a unique Disney spin.

“Rescue Rangers” is filled with lots of little riffs on animation, and the best part is all those jokes are turned into important parts of the story! For example, one of the first places Chip and Dale’s investigation leads them to is a sketchy area of town called the Uncanny Valley, which – you guessed it – is populated by shady characters who look freakishly human, but not. The leader of this gang of criminals is a middle-aged, washed-up Peter Pan, who now goes by Sweet Pete (fittingly played by Bojack Horseman’s voice actor, Will Arnett). There’s also his partner in crime Jimmy (Da’Vone McDonald), a CGI polar bear who looks a lot like one of the Coca-Cola bears.

“Rescue Rangers” has that layer of self-awareness. For that reason, it stands out from other reboots. You can tell the writing team had a blast coming up with this story. It’s a tribute to the animation medium, and features cameos of cartoon characters from various properties (some of which don’t belong to Disney), serving as fun Easter eggs for viewers: notable guests include McGruff the Crime Dog, Doc McStuffins, a live-action Pumbaa, and my personal favorite, Randy Marsh from South Park. A favorite cameo among viewers was “Ugly Sonic” – poking fun at the controversial original design for the speedy blue protagonist in the first “Sonic the Hedgehog” film – who is seen tabling at a convention with Dale at the beginning of the film, and later helps the FBI arrest Sweet Pete and his gang of criminals.

I recommend “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers” to anyone who grew up watching the show back in the 80s, or animation fans. You don’t need to have seen the original “Rescue Rangers” show in order to appreciate this film; personally, I never watched the show, but I ended up loving this movie for how witty and fun it is.