Director: Akiva Schaffer

Writers: Dan Gregor and Doug Mand

Starring: John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Will Arnett, Eric Bana, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, J.K. Simmons, KiKi Layne

Rating: ★★★★

The new Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers film is available on Disney Plus and is a real treat for the whole family. It’s a meta-sequel to the original TV series, mixing a wide variety of animation styles as well as live-action. It follows Chip (John Mulaney) and Dale (Andy Samberg) as they investigate the kidnapping of their old co-star Monterey Jack (Eric Bana).

On one hand this film is a fairly standard family film, following a good guys vs bad guys story, with a few twists, and a happy ending. Plot-wise it sticks to the tried and tested formula and does a good job at just being that. What makes this film special is that it goes beyond that with the main characters being actors who appeared in the classic animated show Rescue Rangers in the early 90s and are now washed up. Chip is an insurance salesman, while Dale is trying to recapture his success at conventions and through social media. He’s even had surgery to appear computer generated, compared to Chip who hasn’t changed in the thirty or so years since their heyday. This is a world where the characters of animated films live in the real world as well, and it’s filled with fun.

Following in the footsteps of films like The Lego Movie, which director Akiva Schaffer worked on as a producer and lyricist, Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers is filled with references, throwbacks and most importantly cameos galore. It’s absolutely packed to the brim with characters appearing from other shows and films, and half the fun is spotting characters in the background. Unlike last years Space Jam sequel, this doesn’t feel like a showcase for Disney+, instead Schaffer managed to get permission from everywhere to use their characters, with some of them being main characters.

There’s a great couple of scenes in a convention that Dale appears at, with so many characters appearing that your eyes will be glued to the background to spot more. There are also more than enough great jokes to make you laugh, no matter how old you are. It’s one of those children’s films that has enough in it that adults can enjoy it too. The cast are also fantastic as well, straight from the opening narration from Andy Samberg catching you up on the history of the heroes. Seth Rogen also appears, as several characters, and is completely brilliant.

What would have been a standard family film is made so much better with great meta-humour. Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers is a lot more fun than you’d expect and really worth watching. If you have a Disney+ subscription it’s a perfect film for the weekend.

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