Chip N Dale: Rescue Rangers is a meta barrel of laughs
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Nearly a year on from the disastrous Space Jam: A New Legacy, it’s Disney’s turn to mash a load of intellectual properties together in hopes of making a movie. This new spin on 80s cartoon Chip N Dale: Rescue Rangers is avoiding cinemas, but might be one of the smarter straight-to-streaming options out there.
The plot is basically that of Who Framed Roger Rabbit (who is also one of the many cameos). Set in a world where cartoons and humans coexist, Chip (voiced by John Mullaney) and Dale (Andy Samberg) haven’t spoken since their show, Rescue Rangers, was cancelled. However, when an old friend goes missing, the pair put their differences aside to solve a real case. The trailer plays like a fever dream, but the premise works surprisingly well.
The heavy lifting is done by the pop culture in-jokes, which mostly hit the mark. It’s surprising to see Disney so willing to satirise bad remakes (it’s like Vin Diesel mocking car movies), but those of a certain age will delight in spotting the well-loved Disney faces. Flounder, Lumiere, and a certain hedgehog all pop up in surprising ways, and there’s a superhero crossover that will be burned into your brain for days after.
Some of the gags are a bit smug – the pair’s trip to “The Uncanny Valley”, filled with dodgy CGI characters with “Polar Express Eyes”, is a clever but oddly pitched sequence. Slower moments are carried along by the energy of the cast, with supporting members including Seth Rogen, JK Simmons and Will Arnett.
A curious case, Chip N Dale: Rescue Rangers may end up being more famous for its memeable moments – of which there are many – than its cinematic nous. Still, if you’re staring blankly at your streaming menu, this is a pleasant 90 minutes of nostalgia.