Review: New Chip ‘N Dale movie hilariously spoofs classic games, cartoons

Enlarge / When there's danger! (credit: Disney)

Traditionally, when Disney films skip theaters and go straight to video, it's not a good sign. That's changed somewhat now that the Disney+ content beast needs to be fed, yet the company still differentiates between "triple-A television" like The Mandalorian and "cheap, kid-friendly movies" like the Air Bud series.

Hence, today's Disney+ premiere of Chip 'N Dale: Rescue Rangers—a PG-rated reboot with little in the way of advance press screenings—had us assuming the worst, despite of its comedy pedigree. The Lonely Island ("Lazy Sunday," "Mother Lover") is all over the film's credits, but how much of the group's boundary-pushing Saturday Night Live work could survive the family-friendly demands of a straight-to-Disney+ launch?

I'm here with surprisingly good news. Chip 'N Dale is a self-aware comedy romp that families will appreciate. What's more, it knows exactly when and how to toy with '80s and '90s gaming, cartoon, and pop-culture references without losing character development and physical comedy.