Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel DVD 2010Calling this follow-up to the 2007 box-office hit a “squeakquel” is bad enough, but it also begs to be the answer to a question on Jeopardy, as in, “What 88-minute movie about a trio of talking rodents has more subplots than Spider-Man 3?”

I mean, really. The CGI critters go to school, fall for some girl chipmunks and compete in a music contest, all while being watched over by a slacker of a substitute guardian (Zachary Levi) and dealing with the slimy antics of their former agent (David Cross).

As such the film, despite the best efforts of director Betty Thomas, feels distracted, especially in the lazy way it solves Levi’s problems. There’s also the just plain weird sight of Cross in a gold-lame dress trying to make sock puppets sing, and disturbing references are made to The Silence of the Lambs and pole dancing.

I know, I know. It’s made for kids, who will really only care about seeing helium-voiced Alvin (Justin Long), Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Theodore (Jesse McCartney) spin around in a juicer, fight in a dumpster, ride around on little vehicles, get smacked by dodge balls and play football. Not to mention sing generic tween pop tunes, including a version of “We Are Family.”

As an adult I appreciated any scene with Wendie Malick as the school principal who’s also a closeted Chipmunks fan. But as a big fan of Levi’s TV show Chuck, I was even happier to see him moonlighting in an actual movie, even if he does play second fiddle to chattering chipmunks who give wedgies to high school jocks. – [DVD] [Blu-Ray]

Animation/Comedy/Family/Romance

Rated PG

DVD Release Date: 3/30/10

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