[yasr_overall_rating]
A rookie officer is teamed with a hardened pro at the California Highway Patrol, though the newbie soon learns his partner is really an undercover Fed investigating a heist that may involve some crooked cops.
I cannot understand the backlash this movie received upon its initial theatrical release. People seemed outraged that it was nothing like the 1970s TV show which inspired it. I can tell you this, I was one of those kids who grew up in the ’70s, watching shows like “CHIPS,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “The Six Million Dollar Man,” and “Spider-Man,” to name but a few but although each show was far removed from each other, the one thing they all shared, was the cheese factor. To look back at any of those shows now, one would not be able to prevent oneself from rolling their eyes at just how silly and, at times, terrible, they were. Granted, for their time, they were groundbreaking but sadly, time has not been too kind to any of them. The same goes for “CHIPS,” while it may have been the most realistic of many of the shows, two California motorcycle cops and the adventures they share every week, as opposed to a bionic man, a superhero, or a large, green mutated giant, “CHIPS” was still very much versed in ’70s lore, and the ’70s is where it shall remain.
The only similarities the new “CHIPS” brings to it, is the California Highway Patrol and its two lead characters, officers Francis Llewelyn “Ponch” Poncherello (Michael Peña) and Jonathan Andrew “Jon” Baker (Dax Shepard), two cops who team up together to try and discover the crooked police officers within their department. Jon is a pill-popping, excellent motorcycle rider who has failed to get into the police academy with every attempt. Because his superior officer, Sgt. Hernandez (Maya Rudolph) likes him, she gives him one last chance to be a part of the team by going undercover with his new partner Ponch, who has just transferred from Florida. Several security trucks in the area have been robbed and fingers begin to point back at the California Highway Patrol. As Ponch, the outsider, begins to observe different cliques, groups with the group, one, in particular, stands out, led by Lieutenant Ray Kurtz (Vincent D’Onofrio). When Jon and Ponch try to talk to him, he becomes very hostile and Ponch’s hunch is quickly realized. When Jon’s wife Karen (Kristin Bell) is kidnapped, both officers must lock and load everything they have, if they are to have any chance of saving the day, and apprehending the bad guys.
Dax Shepard directs “CHIPS” with great flair and infuses the story with copious amounts of humor. I was pleasantly surprised at just how much humor was utilized, and just how much of it made me laugh out loud. I have a particular taste when it comes to humor but Dax Shapard hit almost all of my buttons. Naturally, the ending of the movie is left wide open for the customary sequel but I can almost envision it being a direct-to-DVD production, with lesser-known names attached. Of course, I would much prefer to see Michael Peña and Dax Shepard return to annoy the hell out of each other and further down the road, I could see the series moving along the lines of the Fast & Furious franchise, maybe lessening the humor, and relying more on action and some serious overtones, that is something that could work. Some might feel that because “CHIPS” is relegated to just one central area, the action is limited. I beg to differ, just watch the “Lethal Weapon” films for proof of that. If you like adult humor and are not put off by foul language, then “CHIPS” is for you.
Available today on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD
