Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers (2022) : High risk, and even higher reward

**TW: Drug mention, violence (non-explicit)

Boasting an 81% and Certified Fresh on Rotten tomatoes, can a family-friendly film be marketed to adults truly be deemed successful? An obvious nod to 1988’s “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (whose titular character is one of many cameos in C & D), 2022’s “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers” features two little heroes going on a mission to save their missing friend Monty. While on their journey to rescue the 90’s co-star they uncover the seedy underbelly of Hollywood, wherein animated characters are being kidnapped and altered to create overseas bootleg films. While the plot and story unfold, there are easter eggs galore, many deep-cuts and jokes about media trends, and above all else a welcoming and familiar feeling of nostalgia seeing the two heroes unite to solve a case- even if one has had the now popular CGI makeover.

Many jokes in the film are rather adult and while it is family-friendly, the creators behind it were clearly aware of its target demographic, leading me to wonder how aware the nostalgia-baiting writers Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, and director Akiva Schaffer really were. In a film like Chip ‘n Dale, is it even nostalgia-bating at all? Is fanservice always a cheap cash grab, or can it serve as a channel for a greater critique of trends, or a larger system as a whole? All of these questions seem to be blips in the conversations surrounding the film especially as I realize its digital-only release may have been part of the film's true success.

Like many, I didn’t even keep Chip ‘n Dale on my radar of releases. I was reminded of it upon seeing Ugly Sonic on my Twitter timeline. As a Sonic fan, not only was I amazed this character made it in a Disney movie, but I was shocked at how well-liked the meme seemed to become. I turned the film on maybe an hour later and was almost in tears instantly as I was reminded exactly how much I loved watching Rescue Rangers growing up. The first time I found myself asking “who was this made for?” was very early in the movie. The film almost seamlessly blends animation and real-life film into one world in the opening flashback scene, and even shows the original Rescue Rangers cast on a sound stage. During this flashback, we see pop star Paula

Abdul and MC Skat Kat DJ’ing at a party! I wanted to chalk it up to just being an easter egg, but the other cameos in this scene really drove home that it was for adults, as no child (without a parent who lived through the late 80’s/90s) would understand any of it! The second time, was when Monty was introduced in the film. Monty has an addiction to smelly cheeses, and that has gotten him in serious money trouble, all of this clearly being nods to the real-life drug epidemic. The way Monty and the other Chips handle this problem in such a secretive way could perhaps be a clear line between once-famous actors losing their lives to addiction as we’ve seen time and time again.

All in all, I felt like the plot point was rather dark for a Disney film, and was even more shocked that as the film progressed and introduced its main villain and plot twist, things were allowed to be included in the film. Then I realized, that perhaps this film was never truly intended to get children into Rescue Rangers- or reboot the franchise, but instead serve as a love letter to our youths, and comment on the state of Hollywood in regards to how it treats who it deems as “washed up”, be it old adult stars, or child actors who outgrew marketability.

The commentary on Hollywood isn’t coming from some new kids on the block. Gregor, Mand, and Schaffer all have had their time around the entertainment industry for at least the last 15 years, and have featured in works that serve as pop culture behemoths on their own. Schaffer has worked on shows like “Klablamo!” And Gregor on “How I Met Your Mother”. The cast of the film feature the likes of Andy Samberg, John Mullany, (a personal favorite of mine) J.K. Simmons, and even Seth Rogen who plays old characters of his, and a newer original character. All of the crew grew up in a similar era, and many of them being involved in showbiz, the love comes through in the comedy, while the criticisms and sad reality of Hollywood are certainly with merit.

The jokes about the main street hosting a group of problematic criminals with familiar faces, and the uncanny valley showcasing glitches and “soulless polar express eyes” are just light jabs. The darker commentary comes when we learn the back story of the villain “Sweet Pete”. Once a childhood star, Peter Pan hit puberty and the studio then wanted little to nothing to do with him, leading him to a life of crime (from cheese dealing with bootleg films) and a legitimate business of recycling old movie merch into portapotties. The fall from grace almost exactly mirrors the real Peter Pan actor Bobby Driscoll, who was dropped from his studio and died at only 31 after battling addiction. While this is one eerily similar incident and is delivered through the lens of comedy, it is something society has seen numerous times with childhood stars, and most certainly wasn't lost upon the adult audience enjoying the quick-paced film- which doesn’t give us much time to be sad over the backstory.

When you combine the realism, parody, and general tongue-in-cheek comedy with the physical gags in the film, it is clear that this was much more than nostalgia bait. Many of the more adult jokes or themes throughout the film would be missed by children, who would likely find the more slapstick comedy and changes in animation to be more eye-catching and funny. The movie even has a scene specifically featuring real memorabilia from the original Rescue Rangers show, and Dale mentions several times how he’s pushing for a reboot, complete with a serious pop-version of the original song (which audiences do get thanks to Post Malone…). This film had very little marketing being sandwiched between other Disney+ projects like Kenobi and She-Hulk, and coming in right around the time of Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. Social media put it on many people's radars, the rewatchability for easter egg hunting alone is very high, making it a solid investment for the streaming service. The positive reviews from people just wanting a fun film, as well as long-time Chip n’ Dale fans are certainly warranted, and the self-awareness the cast and crew brought to the film let consumers know the reviews are far from a fluke. The adult themes and questionable use of licensing mean very little compared to the success and fun feeling of this film. In a time when many people might've forgotten about the Chipmunks altogether, this film shows us that sometimes reboots can be for the entire family and done with tact and love behind them proving much like the reoccurring theme in the movie- "The biggest risk is not taking any risk at all".

WATCH THE TRAILER FOR THE FILM HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4Z0GHWHe60