Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers Movie Review | Safe for Kids?

Is Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers movie safe for kids? Is Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers movie OK for children? Read the Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, an honest parents guide to the classic 1980s – 1990s Disney cartoon show film reboot produced by Walt Disney Studios, streaming exclusively on Disney+. No spoilers! #RescueRangers May contain commissioned links.

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers Movie Review | Safe for Kids? Parents Guide

A comeback 30-years in the making, or is this case finally too big for these two gumshoes?

Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers was one of my childhood favorites, along with Tale Spin and DuckTales for the ultimate afternoon of TV cartoon watching. But from the classic 1989 – 1990’s Disney cartoon show to 2022 movie reboot, are these two chipmunks looking at a quick Rescue Rangers fan-pleasing money grab film or an intelligent reboot for a new generation of Chip ‘n Dale lovers?

In this Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, I’m talking visuals, the story, a full PG rating breakdown, and sharing whether this animated film reboot streaming exclusively on Disney+ is the comeback that old school Rescue Rangers fans have been waiting for. A no spoiler parent review – this is the post you want to read before rushing your kids to see the classic Disney team of Chip, Dale, Monterey Jack, Gadget and Zipper.

Does this Disney Rescue Rangers reboot make the great comeback we’ve been waiting for or should this nostalgic childhood show have stayed in the past? Read on for a full Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers movie parents guide to the new Disney Plus streaming film.

The Visuals

Nostalgia meets modern day 2022 with this Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers movie reboot. The mix of classic 2D animation and new CGI definitely messes with my movie Fung Shui as my brain tries to process both animated, CGI and live action together on the same screen for one Rescue Rangers team up.

Oddly dizzying at times (think Pokémon Detective Pikachu vibes), once you get past cartoon characters, CGI and live action humans all living in harmony, it’s business as usual for Disney. Blending bright visuals, sharp details, and colorful animation technology, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers visually is interesting. I get what Disney was trying to do here with a “new sense of cartoon animation styling,” but visually resulted as just a cluster of ideas.

I really, really wanted to visually like this film, but between the 2D + 3D + live action – it ended up being too much chaos on screen for my eyes to focus –  and ultimately I think hurt the film’s believability and acceptance, especially when it came to the main Rescue Rangers squad.

The Story

Based on the classic 1989 – 1990’s Disney cartoon show, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie features the all-star cast of John Mulaney (“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse“) as Chip, Andy Samberg (“Hotel Transylvania“) as Dale, and is joined by KiKi Layne (“Coming 2 America“), Seth Rogan (“The Lion King“), Eric Bana (“Back to the Outback“), J.K. Simmons (“Spider-Man“), Will Arnett (“The LEGO Movie“), Keegan-Michael Key (“Playing with Fire“), and reprising voice roles of Tress McNeille as Gadget and Corey Burton as Zipper.

Directed by Akiva Schaffer as a Disney+ original film, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie picks up 30 years after end of the Rescue Rangers cartoon series, filling in some obvious plot holes as to what has happened in the lives of the famous Rescue Rangers team. Blending live action, CGI and old school 2D animation, this Rescue Rangers movie reboot features action adventure, comedy, mystery, and pop culture fan nostalgia as the team is forced back together to once again save the day.

Forced definitely fits the description of the story script. Between the live action acting, the chaos of multiple animation stylings, and the innumerable fan-pleasing cameos, Disney Easter Eggs and pop culture/movie references flying at you at every scene turn, this Chip ‘n Dale movie is an overwhelming, over-acting, multiple stimuli experience that will either touch on your Disney childhood heartstrings or completely overload your circuits.

And that just describes the adult watching experience. Fast action, physical comedy and animation chaos will probably highly appeal to your young kids. But I’m not sure if it will be enough to really entice kids to embrace the Rescue Rangers as a new generation of fandom urges them to watch all 6 seasons of the classic show, versus a quick flip when kids are complaining that they’re bored over the summer break.

More disappointing is that this Chip ‘n Dale movie misses the mark when it comes to the comedy. With so much comedic brilliance on board (SNL, anyone?), I was sorely missing the laugh out loud moments and clever punchlines that I was hoping for. This Rescue Rangers movie is almost like Zootopia meets The LEGO Movie – but not funny at all. Awkward. But with some moral life lessons that touch on inclusion, acceptance, trust, friendship, and family, the new Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers film isn’t a total flop. But it certainly raises awareness as to perhaps why this film was picked as a “straight to Disney+ streaming” original movie, and not to a full theater release.

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers PG Rating Explained

Is Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie safe for kids? It’s no secret that I am highly skeptical of all MPAA ratings (um hello, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker not disclosing any language??). And as we know, not all PG ratings are the same. As a parent, it’s been rather heartbreaking to witness how movie ratings have shifted over the years with G-rated movies now a thing of the past.

PG ratings now oscillating between Incredibles 2 intense to Christopher Robin calm, there’s a wide range between the age of 0-12 years old to consider. (Most recently, Turning Red had quite the PG rated controversy on social media.)

Why is Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers rated PG? In this Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, the 2022 Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie is rated PG for “mild action and rude/suggestive humor.” Is Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie safe for kids? Or should parents be worried about another questionable PG rated Disney+ animated film? Let’s breakdown that MPAA rating in this Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers parents guide.

Violence. Overall very mild for an animated/kids live action film. Looney Tunes level cartoon slapstick violence, in combination of live action use of real guns and other weapons, and mild peril. Certainly nothing that will have kids gasping in terror, this is along the lines of violence/suspense level that I would expect for the Rescue Rangers show.

Adult Themes. This is where the rude, suggestive humor comes into play. Visual humor involving a picture of top half naked male dancers (which may have kids scratching their heads while asking their parents questions), toilet humor, butt references (multiple), one “dumb fart joke” reference, half naked men/cartoons in towels, one “wanna get a drink” line, questionable beer bottle beverage consumption (brand too fuzzy to make out), and word reference to “peeing” is overall mild for adult themes, but definitely trying to hold the interest of young kids and adults alike. Not sure how successful the humor pans out.

Language. I want to point out that the MPAA did not reference any bad language for the Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers film. While no “swear words” exist in the new 2022 Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie, that doesn’t mean that this film is 100% clean.

There is one h-e-double-hockey-sticks reference that refers to the place (as in “I’m in ____”), 2 God in vain references (“g-d awful smell” and “oh g-d…”), one “dang,” and multiple mild derogatory insults ranging from weird, dumb, stupid, boob, idiots, dopey, fart, and repeated multiple uses of the word “ugly,” which I personally was not a fan of the punchline joke in regards to one singular character in the film. Unnecessary, in my opinion.

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers Movie Age Rating for Kids

The Overall

These 2 gumshoes are NOT picking up the slack. There’s a reason why the new Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie went directly to Disney+ and NOT to the theaters. And the story plot shows. Messy story, chaotic visuals, little humor despite the comedic talent, and too many Disney/pop culture Easter Eggs to count, it didn’t feel like a fun, energetic family-friendly movie, but a zig zag, Dramamine-infused walk down memory lane. Not exactly comeback criteria but a reach for a desperate 90’s resurgence, this 2022 Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers reboot feels like a forced sequel attempt instead of a 30-year loved on, intelligent, thoughtful effort that balances nostalgia and new Rescue Rangers fandom excitement. I’m not proud to admit it; I actually fell asleep and had to watch this movie AGAIN. 

But with some moral life lessons that touch on inclusion, acceptance, trust, friendship, and family, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers is not completely a Disney film failure. While not the fun reboot my childhood was hoping for, but it’s certainly a valiant attempt to connect multiple generations of Chip ‘n Dale lovers on a nostalgic level. But I’m bummed that kids won’t appreciate the Rescue Rangers at the level that us 80’s – 90’s kids do. I place this Rescue Rangers movie on the same Disney+ original film level as Flora & Ulysses – watchable, but not childhood defining. Can somebody call the Rescue Rangers to rescue the Rescue Rangers movie?

I’ll be lucky if my kids even remember the name ‘Rescue Rangers’ a month from now.

Follow Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers on social media:

• Website: https://ondisneyplus.disney.com/movie/chip-n-dale-rescue-rangers
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rescuerangers
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RescueRangers
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rescuerangers/
• #RescueRangers

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The all-new 2022 Disney animated movie, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers is streaming exclusively on Disney+ starting Friday, May 20, 2022. Will your family be watching this original reboot film based on the classic Disney TV show?

I was invited to screen this film in exchange for Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers Movie Review | Safe for Kids? All photos courtesy of Disney. Be sure to follow Raising Whasians for more movie updates, celebrity interviews, entertainment and behind-the-scenes info!