Review of Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009) by Afifa J M — 22 Dec 2010

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel is an American action-comedy movie and sequel to Alvin and the Chipmunks. In this movie it features Chipmunks and their female counterparts, The Chipettes. Alvin, Simon and Theodore have their lives thrown for a loop when their manager and legal guardian, Dave, is injured during a concert in Paris.

The three rodent brothers then fly back to Los Angeles where they are to be cared for by Dave's cousin, Toby. The boys must put aside music superstardom to return to school, and are tasked with saving the school's music program by winning the $25,000 prize in a battle of the bands.

But the Chipmunks unexpectedly meet their match in three singing chipmunks known as The Chipettes. A simple plot concerning who will represent a high school in a musical competition and ultimately win the final event is easy to follow and almost insultingly predictable, even for the youngest of viewers.

Both the Chipmunks and the Chipettes are in contention, of course. And all signs point to them becoming friends instead of rivals. The Chipmunks and the Chipettes compete against each other in a Battle of the Bands.

Alvin warns Brittany about what Ian did to him and his brothers, but she doesn't believe him. At the concert, the Chipettes win after Simon and Theodore forfeit the competition because Alvin failed to show up (he hung out with the football team instead).

Finally, Alvin shows up only to see that everyone's gone. Brittany says to Alvin that he doesn't care about anyone but himself and that she never wanted to win the way Ian was making her. When Alvin returns home, Simon and Theodore pretend they're sleeping and ignore him.

The embarrassment is too much for Theodore to take who runs away to the zoo. When Toby and the boys find him and save him from an eagle, it brings out the best in all of them and the Chipmunks all forgive each other and go back to "One for all, and three for one".

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel is one of 274 films qualified for consideration for a 2009 Academy Award. Fans of the first film will certainly enjoy watching the chipmunks take on a new adventure.