Every Character In Chip 'N Dale: Rescue Rangers Ranked From Worst To Best
Your favorite chipmunks are back in an all-new adventure! After nearly 30 years, Chip (John Mulaney) and Dale (Andy Samberg) make their big-time cinematic debut in Akiva Schaffer's "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers." The movie is loaded with countless references and hidden secrets that are a lot of fun to keep an eye out for. Still, the film is (thankfully) so much more than a bunch of Easter eggs, and it manages to use nostalgia and cameos as ways to showcase the possibilities of what movies can be. That's a bold statement, but a film this surprising, refreshing, and unique certainly deserves it.
With so many references and cameos, there are bound to be a whole lot of characters in your movie. "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers" is positively jam-packed with memorable appearances. So to figure out which cartoon (or human) character reigns supreme, we've ranked all of the major characters in the movie β if we included every small appearance, you'd be here all week! Sit back, relax, and hum that classic "Rescue Rangers" theme song as we get into every character in "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers" ranked from worst to best.
13. Bjornson the Cheesemonger
Some people love cheese, but few are as passionate about the world of cheese as Bjornson the Cheesemonger (Keegan-Michael Key). He's found on the adorable and charming Main Street, which Dale reveals as a cover for some of the nastiest cartoon characters in the game. Their crimes include stolen security numbers and muppet fights, but it's Bjornson that Chip and Dale need, as he's responsible for Monterey Jack's intense cheese addiction. He's extremely devoted to his cheese shop, and when we first see him, he's singing a lovely ditty about his stinky, gooey cheese.
His friendly disposition vanishes immediately when Chip inquires about whether he has any stinky cheese. "You cops?" Bjornson asks, revealing that he's far more than just a humble cheesemonger, shedding his friendly persona for a much tougher reality. There's not a whole lot to Bjornson. He's a cheesemonger, he gets people hooked on stinky, tantalizing cheese, and that's pretty much it. He plays an important role in getting Chip and Dale into seeing the leader of the Valley Gang, so he at least plays a valuable part in terms of moving the story forward.
12. Jimmy the Polar Bear
Hold on a minute βthe Coca-Cola bear is in this? It sure looks like it, as Jimmy the Polar Bear (Da'Vone McDonald) is here to strike fear into the hearts of just about everyone. There's not a whole lot to Jimmy. We know he's Sweet Pete's henchman, that he uses his power and size to effectively instill dread, and he's a very effective enforcer. One of the few missteps in the film is not letting us into Jimmy's world more. It would have been satisfying to see why Jimmy is Sweet Pete's right-hand man.
Does he feel bad about kidnapping other cartoon characters and shipping them away? If not, why not? Unfortunately, these are questions that are never answered, which is too bad. He does get one tiny moment: In the middle of a heated chase, he fawns over his idol, Baloo, with childlike excitement, which is funny, but it just makes you want to know more. Though we ultimately don't know much about him, he's still good fun, and it's quite a treat to see so many small characters revel in genuine terror when Jimmy the Polar Bear comes after them.
11. Zipper
Admittedly, Zipper (Dennis Haysbert), everyone's favorite horsefly, is a very minor character in "Rescue Rangers." The expert lock-picker and flight specialist is very much relegated to the background in this movie, but that doesn't stop him from shining in a reduced role. This might be disappointing to some fans of the original animated series, as he was an essential part of the crew. He's moved on to a life of peaceful domesticity with Gadget.
It's a bit jarring (yet hilarious) to see their offspring, which are hybrids of mouse and fly. It is a fascinating if somewhat unsettling thing. Notoriously, Zipper doesn't speak in the animated series, settling instead for chirping, but here, we finally hear his voice, and it's provided in dulcet tones by the wondrous Dennis Haysbert. While Zipper is pretty inconsequential to the happenings of "Rescue Rangers," he still winds up playing a part in saving the day.
10. DJ Herzogenaurach
A completely unexpected delight given fantastic energy by Flula Borg, DJ Herzogenaurach (say that 10 times fast) is a lot of fun. The animators use his immense size as a menacing snake to surprising effect, making you think he's going to want to end the heroic efforts of Chip and Dale. Thankfully, he subverts all expectations. He's a massive fan of the chipmunk pair, and he can't believe how lucky he is to see them in the flesh.
Herzogenaurach is no fool and knows how to use his size to his advantage. When he detects that Chip and Dale are preparing to leave, he turns angry, forcing them to perform a rap for his amusement. It's weird, it's crazy, and it's perfect β especially as earlier in the film, Dale explicitly states that there's nothing worse than a cartoon animal rapping while watching "Alvin and the Chipmunks" on TV. The pair rapping is suitably dreadful, but thanks to DJ Herzogenaurach, we get one of the film's best moments.
9. Monterey Jack
It's quite a shame to see Monterey Jack's (Eric Bana) fall from grace. Once a mighty member of the Rescue Rangers, he's a shell of his former self, having fallen into the insidious world of the stinky cheese trade. Despite his limited screen time, Jack is a hugely significant character, and without him, it's unlikely we'd have seen Chip and Dale team up again. While pleading with Chip for help, he also delivers a wonderful anecdote about how Flounder (that's right, from "The Little Mermaid") was kidnapped by a gang and turned into a bootleg version of himself.
Monterey Jack is vital to the success of "Rescue Rangers," relying on the strength of his friendship with the rest of his former co-stars (especially Chip and Dale) to propel the story forward. The crew's powerful bond is what inspires Chip and Dale to work together again, and we're very grateful for our big mouse pal for making it happen. The film does a great job of making us genuinely care about Monterey Jack's well-being, even though if you've not seen the original series, you'd probably have no idea how important he is. Plus, he delivers a hilarious visual at the end of the film: He's been given Dumbo's ears and outfit, leading to a big, rewarding belly laugh.
8. Gadget Hackwrench
Gadget Hackwrench (Tress MacNeille) gained a reputation for being an expert inventor, regularly explaining the complexities of her designs in ways that nobody else could understand. Like her husband Zipper, Gadget ends up with a pretty minor role. While in the animated show there were slight suggestions that she'd make a romantic pairing with either Chip or Dale, in the end, she wound up happily married (with lots of kids) to Zipper.
It's a bit odd to see such an important character from the original show relegated to the final minutes of the film, but she still gets her moment to shine despite limited screen time. She even gets some excellent lines: one about Dale and another hilarious moment in which Gadget reflects on how her abilities in real life are identical to those on the show, creating a sort of meta-commentary on her status as an afterthought in "Rescue Rangers." While I certainly would have loved to see more of Gadget in the world that screenwriters Dan Gregor and Doug Mand created, her role is fitting and purposeful.
7. Captain Putty
First things first, Captain Putty (J.K. Simmons) is adorable. Just look at him! He's like a smaller, bluer version of Gumby with a thick, glorious mustache, and he's a real sight for sore eyes. His cutesy appearance is perfectly at odds with his harsh, stern voice. It's almost as if the teacher from "Whiplash" looked like an adorable puppy, and it's a brilliant and surprising contrast that helps keep Captain Putty feeling fresh.
Captain Putty is a police officer and Ellie's (Kiki Layne) boss. He's a pretty typical officer, hard and focused on the task at hand, and he's not particularly appreciative of Ellie's obsession with Chip and Dale. His arc is easily the most predictable of all the characters. Even though the chipmunks are highly suspicious of Ellie's motivations, they should have had their eyes on Captain Putty being crooked. After all, it's always the one you least expect. He may be predictable, but a spirited performance from Simmons and a charming character design help Captain Putty rise up the ranks.
6. Bob the Warrior Viking
One of the most absurd and delightful characters in the film, Bob the Warrior Viking (Seth Rogen) is a whole lot of fun. Bob is a tribute to the uncanny valley, a theory in animation that refers to characters that are designed to be realistic, but instead, end up seeming deeply unsettling. Bob uneasily balances this very struggle: He's realistic, yet equally out of place.
There are some great jokes when Chip and Dale first meet Bob, particularly in regard to his eyes (those "Polar Express" eyes, Chip explains), as thanks to his creepy design, he's completely unable to make eye contact with the chipmunks. It's extremely funny, and the fact that it's rooted in such equal reverence and mockery for this particular kind of animation makes it all the more special. Rogen does a predictably excellent job bringing the character to life, and Bob goes through quite a few ordeals while trying to help out Sweet Pete β none funnier than him being tackled by a group of other characters also voiced by Rogen.
5. Sweet Pete
Someone named Sweet Pete (Will Arnett) is behind the string of Valley Gang kidnappings, turning beloved cartoon characters into knock-off versions of themselves, and selling them to an offshore studio to make bootleg movies. In one of the film's most surprising reveals, Chip and Dale discover that Sweet Pete is none other than Peter Pan. That's right. Peter has grown up, and he's full of rage and remorse. Pete shares his surprisingly emotional story about how he was abandoned after he grew up despite earning a lot of people tons of money for starring in "Peter Pan." Abandonment made Pete bitter, but it allowed him to craft a master plan of getting revenge on those who wronged him.
He took action, creating a mockbuster film studio of his own, and making a ton of cash for himself by ripping off his own film, aptly titled "Flying Bedroom Boy." Pete then saw an opportunity to make a whole lot of cash, so he started kidnapping cartoons to turn them into knock-off versions of themselves so they could star in rip-offs like "Spaghetti Dog." Admittedly, Pete's methods are extremely cruel, but the film does the work of explaining why Pete has become who he is. His methods also provide an incisive commentary on remaking and rehashing old ideas, creating a gloriously self-aware film that really shines. To top it off, Sweet Pete gets a ridiculous transformation into his final form: a creepy amalgamation of the parts of various cartoon favorites.
4. Ellie
Ellie (KiKi Layne) is a devoted member of the police force. She works hard, and unlike many of her co-workers, she has a genuine drive and passion to make the world a better place. Ellie made a big mistake in her work and fell for a bogus tip that led the police force to raid Nickelodeon Junior studios for no reason, and she's been struggling to regain trust ever since. She's trying to prove her worth in her job when the case of her dreams appears: working alongside Chip and Dale to help rescue their friend Monterey Jack and also discover the truth behind the Valley Gang kidnappings. You see, Ellie isn't just aware of the chipmunks, she's a die-hard fan of the duo and their animated show from the '90s.
The show never aired in her hometown, so she had to rely on receiving videotapes from her grandmother in the mail. This brings up some considerable suspicion from Chip, who hilariously tells Dale that older people are notoriously terrible with technology. That's kind of their whole thing. While Chip is largely right, he doesn't understand older people's knowledge of VCRs, which is nothing short of expert. Thankfully, Chip's suspicions are unfounded toward Ellie. She did watch the show, and she does whatever is necessary to help the duo save the day. Ellie is a spirited, loveable character whose earnestness is incredibly refreshing.
3. Ugly Sonic
Sometimes it's the most outrageous, ridiculous, and flat-out unfathomable ideas that work out the best. Who could have expected that of all the countless cameos and surprises in "Rescue Rangers" Ugly Sonic (Tim Robinson) would be present? That's right, Ugly Sonic is the version of Sonic the Hedgehog that first appeared in the trailer for 2020's "Sonic the Hedgehog," only to be completely redesigned after a flurry of memes and fan outrage took the character out of existence.
"Rescue Rangers" imagines a vibrant world that Ugly Sonic is very much a part of. He could have easily been a one-off joke, but Ugly Sonic is a fully realized character. He's first seen at a booth near Dale's at the fan convention where he also makes a living selling merchandise and autographs. Thankfully, things are looking up for him, as he's about to be the star of a TV show called "Ugly Sonic, Uglier Crimes." While the other cartoons don't believe him, it's true, and Ugly Sonic ends up being a major element of the film's final act. Having Ugly Sonic in this film almost makes no sense, but thanks to a thoughtful, layered script, he's a character every bit as important to the movie's world-building as Chip and Dale.
2. Chip
The days of being a television superstar are long over for Chip (John Mulaney). As evidenced by his new career selling insurance, Chip is considerably more cautious than Dale these days. Chip has something of a chip on his shoulder and has never quite forgiven Dale for trying to launch his own show, which ended the "Rescue Rangers" show he had come to love. He took Dale's decision very personally, and their friendship never recovered. It's really fun to see Chip live a quiet home life, and he even has a pet dog, Millie, that is a great deal larger than he is. It's an adorable relationship, and it's awesome to see Chip channel his love and passions into a pet. He regularly references Millie throughout the film, so there's no doubt that he cares deeply about her.
John Mulaney is a sensational choice for Chip. Mulaney and Andy Samberg play off of one another beautifully. So many funny moments are elevated by their terrific chemistry. When it comes to sheer excellence, it's honestly hard to separate Chip from Dale. They're both so much fun in "Rescue Rangers," and both come off wonderfully. However, Chip is more of the voice of reason while Dale is a good deal more optimistic and adventurous this time around, which gives him the slight edge over his bestie.
1. Dale
While their names go hand in hand, Dale (Andy Samberg) has often found himself playing second fiddle to his best friend, Chip. While both their names are in the title, this film finally puts the spotlight on Dale. After their smash hit '90s series, Dale has never reached that high again, though he chases it, always hoping for a show or major opportunity of his own. He had his chance with his own show, "Double-O-Dale," which ultimately led to the end of the Rescue Rangers, even though the show never took off. He spends his time appearing at fan events, selling autographs and merchandise to make ends meet. Heck, Dale even got CG surgery to turn himself from 2D to 3D to try and stay more relevant, which is as fascinating as it is weirdly heartbreaking.
Andy Samberg is the perfect choice to voice Dale. He injects so much life and energy into the character, delivering so many excellent one-liners along the way. Thankfully, the movie allows Dale to get back to his crime-solving, adventuring ways, and it offers him a vital chance to reconnect with his former best friend, Chip. It's hard to separate the pair, as they're so often seen functioning as a duo, but "Rescue Rangers" allows them to shine on their own. They're both fantastic, but while Chip is celebrating, Dale realizes the fight isn't over and takes a bullet for his friend. If that isn't worthy of the No. 1 spot, I don't know what is.