Director: Aktiva Schaffer

Story By: Dan Gregor and Doug Mand

Cast: Andy Samberg, John Mulaney, KiKi Layne, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Eric Bana, Dennis Haysbert, Tress MacNeille, J.K.Simmons, Da’Vone McDonald, & Tim Robinson 

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And to think, I was ready to turn this moving off in the first 5-7 minutes…. Im glad I stuck it out. 

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Theme & Story: A

Pacing: A-

Character: A

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Entertainment Factors

General Public: Interesting Enough

Film Enthusiasts: Don’t Watch

Experience Seekers (via Visuals & Score): Don’t Watch

Comedy / Adventure Fans: Interesting Enough

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TAKEAWAYS:

1. Disney stars of yesterday, split on a need to stay relevant/relive the years of fame and letting the past be the past due to feelings of betrayal, find themselves caught up in a situation that forces them back into their old days…and friendship. 

This is Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers.

Thematically, I watched a film that focused on the power of an experiential bond, and though I was a little bored and unmoved with Act One, the film ultimately does a solid job with following through on its idea. 

Act One dedicates its time to the cultivation of the bond as well as the situation that slightly cracked it—both in terms of relationship and professionally. 

Act Two introduces the motivation for our characters, and sets the primary plot in motion. Additionally, this idea of a “bond” is taken to a rather interesting level of thinking when looking at the experiential bond fame builds between celebrities and people; and how losing that relevance and interest (or feeling like you’ve lost it) can impact you—whether your looks, your actions, your motivations, and/or your overall mental state. Personally, it saved the engagement and overall interest in the film for me.  

Act Three continues with the engagement and just perfectly concludes the theme through the introduction of additional characters who share a similar bond, and are willing to do what it takes for all those part of the bond. We also see the power that the bond still has on the relationships with others. It’s a typical happy ending. 👍🏾👍🏾

2. The animation and visual effects were pretty smooth. 👍🏾👍🏾

3. Ugly Sonic was a surprise joy.😂👍🏾

4. Seth Rogen! His delivery with the overall animation for his character, just… 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾

5. You know…overall the film does a pretty good job with pacing this 87 minute film. Every minute used was intentional, and I didn’t find any one particular scene to go on for too long (or too fast)…Well, actually, Act One felt a little rushed. Even though thematically it was a strong, it just came across to me like someone got lazy in filling in the gaps of their lives. I mean, it went from “school – class clowns – Hollywood – fame – fallout.” That class clown to Hollywood is what really got me, though. 🥴

6. What a cool concept of “Bootlegging” 👍🏾

7. To piggyback off point #4, It was so hilarious to have an entire neighborhood dedicated to the bad animation of early gaming! So petty. 😂😂

8. “You got stinky cheese…” 😂😂😂

9. I can’t take them focusing on Sonic’s teeth like that. 😂😂😂

10. There were a lot of thematic strengths with the characters in this film. First off, it was clear to me that the story and theme was centered around our main characters—their literal bond is what anchors and moves the plot. Chip’s character is possibly the strongest of the two with even his name and the phrase “chip on your shoulder” aiding the overall thematic follow through. 

Peter Pan’s character was also another well thought out and solid character when it comes to thematic follow through. His lashing out/ motivation was all based on a yearning to have the bond he once had with his fans and the industry as a young star, and it just added a wild and fun tone to the story overall. 

Ellie’s character was also a great and clever showcasing of the power of an experiential bond as this supporting static character of sort. 

Now I don’t know if I was really drawn to any of the characters in terms of just downright interest and care, though. There was just something too safe and off with the character development of Chip and Dale for me. 🤔

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Overall #ChipNDaleRescueRangers gives Bad Boys – meets Pikachu Detective – meets Good Burger – meets Looney Tunes Back in Action – meets Zootopia. 

The eventually turns out to be a rather cute and entertaining film—I won’t take that away from it. BUT… But… and this might just be me…

…I think I would have enjoyed it even more had there been a PG-13 or R rated version of this film. The target audience, in my mind, should be us 30+ folks who grew up with the cartoon. There just seemed to be so much potential and moments where the film could’ve gone a little further—especially in regards to the comedy—and a little deeper. 

OR…why not just give a live action, modernized, PG13 or R rated Chip ’n’ Dale Rescue Ranger show reboot in this human-animation diversified L.A….

So I definitely liked it, but felt that there was a missed opportunity here, and I now I want to see this done over and potty mouthed where appropriate (LOL).