Film Review: Chip 'N Dale - Rescue Rangers

 

Sexuality/Nudity Acceptable
Violence Acceptable
Vulgarity Acceptable

Anti-Catholic Philosophy Acceptable

This movie should be a soulless, cynical cash grab that is as hollow as it is flashy.

Instead we get a movie that is constantly funny, inventive, nostalgic, and actually has something to say about fame and friendship.

The universe of Chip 'N Dale: Rescue Rangers in set in world like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?  In fact, there's a good indication that it is the exact same world, which would make this movie a sort of sequel.  This is a world where cartoon characters live in the same world as humans.  In this reality, Chip (John Mulaney) and Dale (Andy Sandberg) are cartoon chipmunks who became famous acting in the kids adventure show: Rescue Rangers.  But fame is fickle and their popularity moves on.  Chip goes on to be an insurance salesman.  But Dale tries to hold on to his glory with convention appearances and hustling on social media, even getting the "CGI surgery" so now he appears like he is computer generated instead of hand-drawn.  Things come to a head when their old friend Monteray Jack (Eric Bana) gets in debt to a gangster named "Sweet Pete" (Will Arnett) and then goes missing.  So Chip and Dale have to set aside their differences to help their friend.

All of this was laid out in the trailers and the plot is not terribly original.  But where the show knocks it out of the park is the execution.

A lot of movies like this try to coast on the nostalgia for the different characters you see.  And to some extent it works.  During a big crowd shot and Chip and Dale's high school, you can see Blaster from the Autobots in this crowd.  I got an incredibly big kick out of that and other such cameos.  But I'm glad that the writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand put forth the effort to make those elements the added layering on top of an excellent script.

The main thing about this movie is that it's funny.  I mean that this is a funny script with jokes that actually work well.  It helps that you have Sandberg and Mulaney who know how to deliver lines with great comic timing.  The line that Mulaney delivers when he sees a message on his landline is delivered with just the right tone that resonates with strange observational humor.  

The movie also knows how to hit a visual gag.  In one of the best running jokes, Dale has encounters with "Ugly" Sonic the Hedghog (Tim Robinson), who appeared in the original trailer for the Sonic movie.  Director Akiva Schaffer knows just how to draw you into the strangely off-putting design for maximum comedic effect.  Schaffer also seamlessly integrates the live-action, animated, and puppeteering that you see on screen so that never once do you break suspension of disbelief.

But at the heart of this movie is the relationship between the two main characters.  In its own comedic way, this movie captures the strange complexity of affection and envy that can come up in the closest of friends.  We tend to be pulled towards people who have qualities that we wish we had.  That draws us to them and causes us to admire them, but often we can't help but feel jealousy because they have those qualities.  The script knows exactly how foil Chip and Dale off of each other perfectly.

The story also does a good job of integrating style with theme.  Dale's constant need to feel relevant is reflected in his updating to a CGI character.  The lack of humanity found in animated characters like those in The Polar Express help to make them inhuman villains.  Not only are things like this incredibly clever, but they are done in a way that made me laugh.  

There are few moments of slightly mature humor.  Unlike DC: League of Super-Pets, I didn't think that most of it was out of line.  There is one moment towards the beginning where they show a photo of Chippendale dancers and later it is heavily implied that Dale is working as some sort of male exotic dancer, but I think those things would go over the heads of child.  When I was a kid, watching Roger Rabbit, most of the mature jokes went over my head, and I think that most of these jokes will as well, while older adults can enjoy the wordplay.

I really hope that they make a sequel to this movie.  I will watch it the day that it comes out.  This movie doesn't quite hits the heights mad genius that was Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, but it flows in harmony with its tone, its humor, and its ideas.  And from me, that is high praise.