I finally acquired access to DisneyPlus with bundled discounts for about $1 per month so I pulled the trigger. This movie was on my radar because I kept hearing it being a spiritual successor to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which is my all-time favourite animated feature. So my expectations were very high.

Two things come immediately to mind when I think of Rescue Rangers:

- The sax solo of the theme song: https://yewtu.be/N0PJfIO64EU?t=110

- The music in the final stage of the video game: https://yewtu.be/u0EnL4M1jjE

A slight tangent: this video game probably introduced me to griefing. The game is pretty easy and bland played solo but playing it with another player introduces another level of fun/difficulty. You can toss your partner around and throw them toward hazards or throw things at your partner to stun them! If I recall correctly, even the invincibility powerup is given only to the player who collected it resulting in the other to suffer or the "sufferer" can hinder the powered player by staying put and prevent the screen to scroll forward. Ahh... wonderful memories!

Anyway, back to the movie: it was quite a treat to see the various forms of animation all on display in the same scene! For me, the story falls apart as the movie reaches its climax but the movie never took itself seriously and poked fun at itself, making this a fun ride anyway.

I would say not only is this a spiritual successor to Who Framed Roger Rabbit but that it takes place in the same canonical universe making it an actual sequel! Like Roger Rabbit, this movie explores dark adult themes but I feel Roger Rabbit's writing was superior in terms of character and world building. So I wished Rescue Rangers spent a little more time with the world.

The dialogue drives this movie where the story fell short. There were a few eyebrow-raising moments that got me wondering how it got past Disney's S&P. You will need a sharp mind to fully enjoy this so consume 0 Mai Tais!

A few things that irked me (potential spoilers):

- Mulaney has such a distinct voice for me and at times it doesn't feel appropriate... but a moment in the movie pokes fun at this too!

- Chip and Dale attending primary school in the 80s.

- The 90s was 30 years ago.

- Gadget and Zipper's family photo because I'm sure there are rule 34 depictions out there of the deed...

2022 ranking so far:

Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers: 0 Mai Tais

Turning Red: 0 Mai Tais

Uncharted: 4 Mai Tais