“Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers” is the reboot we didn’t know we wanted.

Reviving the popular duo whose first appearance came way back in 1943, with a television series in the early 1990s, “Rescue Rangers” is a smart return that takes a clever spin on the beloved characters. It’s a film that kids will love, and their parents might like even more.

“Rescue Rangers” finds the duo (voiced by Andy Samberg and John Mulaney) living in a modern world where cartoons and humans co-exist. In a backstory voice-over, Dale tells us about how the pair became friends and rose to prominence with their popular TV series before he opted to do solo projects – causing a rift in the friendship that shattered their onscreen success.

Chip and Dale have gone their separate ways since the breakup, but when former co-star Monterey Jack (voiced by Eric Bana) goes missing, the duo are forced to reunite to try and find their friend.

“Rescue Rangers” plays out from there like a lot of familiar films. It’s part “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” part “Looney Tunes: Back in Action” and even part “Happytime Murders” with the way it blends its two worlds into one seamless universe.

While the story may be familiar, the execution makes it all fresh. Director Akiva Schaffer (part of the Lonely Island comedy group with Samberg) zips the film along with nonstop sight gags and pop culture references that almost requires multiple viewings to catch everything.

You get an aging Peter Pan, now a bitter former child star, and cameos galore – ranging from Roger Rabbit to the Coca Cola bear. The fun comes from the range of cameos, with characters not in the Disney realm making appearances as well.

These cameos, peppered with voice work from J.K. Simmons, Seth Rogan and Will Arnett (and others), add to the fun in “Rescue Rangers” and keep the audience on its toes throughout.

Make no mistake, this is very much a film aimed for kids, but to its credit it manages to find that nice balance where the entire family can find something to enjoy here. If you would have told me I would have enjoyed “Rescue Rangers” this much before I saw it, I would have been skeptical, but that proves to be the case.

This is a pleasant surprise and one of the most unexpected surprises in 2022 to date.

Starring: John Mulaney, Andy Samberg (voices)

Directed by: Akiva Schaffer

Rating: PG for mild action, rude suggestive humor

Playing at: Available for streaming on Disney+

Grade: B