Wow… this one came right out of nowhere (ok, fine, Disney+) and smacked me upside the head. I really dug this one. And to think, I only watched it because a couple YouTubers I follow reviewed it and, though I didn’t watch those reviews, I figured there must be a reason. Other than 90s nostalgia…

The flick takes place in a Roger Rabbit world where Chip and Dale are washed-up former tv stars. They have been broken up for decades but now there’s a mystery involving a missing friend that brings them back together. Can they solve the mystery before Monterey Jack (and Flounder) are lost forever?

I say a Roger Rabbit world not just because it’s a world where toons and human live and work together, but because Roger Rabbit makes a cameo. As do a number of other Disney and Disney-owned properties (and possibly others on-loan… I’d have to google all what Disney owns now). But it’s not just to have a mash-up “Space Jam too”… the actual mystery involves animation and the state of the animation industry. There’s a reason for the mash-up worked into the script.

And the curious thing is, for the most part, the guest stars/cameos from other properties are not the big Disney and Pixar heavy-hitters. I’m not sure if that’s because the powers-that-be didn’t lend them out or because Chip ‘n Dale are second string tv characters so it was funnier to get similar tiered toons in the movie. Or perhaps I’ve put too much thought into it.

Regardless, I laughed and I laughed loudly at a good number of the site gags and ideas in the film. There’s a real almost-cynical (but not too cynical) side to the film that I enjoyed. And then just some throw-away jokes and jokes about Hollywood and even a few *gasp* at the expense of Disney.

And I’m not even a big fan of Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers from the 90s. I was in my twenties at that point so obviously I was only into TaleSpin and Darkwing Duck. <snort>. But seriously, no affinity for the chipmunks… so when I say it worked regardless, that’s a huge compliment to the movie.

I’m legitimately surprised how much I enjoyed this. To be fair, the mystery plot, while smartly tied into animation and the in-jokes, isn’t exactly the most scintillating thing, but it’s made up for by all the clever gags. So it’s worth a very positive review. Job well done.

Score: 86