{"id":1676,"date":"2011-12-15T17:36:54","date_gmt":"2011-12-15T17:36:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/?p=1676"},"modified":"2011-12-16T11:00:17","modified_gmt":"2011-12-16T11:00:17","slug":"alvin-and-the-chipmunks-chipwrecked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/comedy\/alvin-and-the-chipmunks-chipwrecked\/","title":{"rendered":"Alvin And The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked ***"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The sound of those rapid-fire, squeaky voices are enough to send some grown-ups running for the hills. Others will take a deep breath and prepare for the super-cute onslaught at the cinema \u2013 there has been a two-year respite after all. But once you\u2019ve tuned into the inane Chipmunk banter, Film Three in the series, Chipwrecked<\/em><\/a>, still manages to charm while thrilling the kids, what with its intrepid little adventurers and energetic musical numbers.<\/p>\n

This time, Alvin (Justin Long<\/a> on helium) and his band, The Chipmunks, including smart Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler<\/a>) and gullible Theodore (Jesse McCartney<\/a>), are on their way to some music awards with the Chipettes \u2013 Eleanor (Amy Poehler<\/a>), Jeanette (Anna Faris<\/a>) and Brittany (Christina Applegate<\/a>). They travel overseas via cruise ship with their weary guardian Dave (Jason Lee<\/a>), and although have been warned numerous times to behave, end up accidentally going overboard and getting marooned in a tropical paradise. But the island isn\u2019t as deserted as it seems\u2026<\/p>\n

Squarely aimed at the U market, watching the on-deck antics of The Chipmunks, the Chipettes and mentor Dave is very much like watching an extended children\u2019s TV about the trials and tribulations of family vacationing, with very tame goofs and pranks \u2013 usually involving the haphazard Dave \u2013 from a seasonal pantomime. The narrative is straightforward, as are the set-piece setups for kids to see the punch line coming a mile off coast. Once \u2018chipwrecked\u2019, there\u2019s precious little that goes on, on the desert island that you wouldn’t want to leave behind, to be honest, but mischievous Alvin \u2013 however irritatingly over enthusiastic \u2013 still manages to coax a giggle out of you. There is also a nice role reversal between Alvin and Simon that keeps things interesting.<\/p>\n

In fact, it’s Simon\u2019s adventure this time that gets the biggest laughs from the kids when he turns all Franglais on us (with the help of Alan Tudyk<\/a>\u2019s brilliant vocal skills), allowing Alvin to learn a few life lessons in his coming-of-age experience, and for comedy director Mike Mitchell<\/a> and team to open up the naughty squirrels\u2019 shenanigans and feature other members of the cast in the limelight.<\/p>\n

Mitchell\u2019s writing team\u2019s rather odd ode to Tom Hanks<\/a>\u2019s film Cast Away<\/a><\/em> feels somewhat mismatched and remotely dark for a kiddies’ film, but does create the film’s anti-villain who isn\u2019t at all scary, actually \u2013 just plain bonkers, allowing the Chipmunks to go on an Indiana Jones-style rescue through the jungle undergrowth. For adults, there is the added secret glee of watching the whole cast \u2013 and ex-manager Ian (David Cross<\/a>) \u2013 marooned (finally), far away from civilisation and doing harm to reassess their actions on all of us.<\/p>\n

The infectious and lively musical numbers will have you toe-tapping your way throughout, too, which are basically high-pitched, often a capella versions of Beyonc\u00e9, Lady Gaga, Pink and Willow Smith\u2019s hits. Indeed, the phrase, “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” certainly rings true as your senses are flooded with the Chipmunk drug. The ending is naturally an excuse for another grand musical Glee<\/em>-style finale so there are no great surprises, and you are well and truly under the spell by then anyway to really care.<\/p>\n

Some might argue about how \u2018harmless\u2019 a Chipmunk film is on the impressionable young mind, but this adventure takes the cast away from their natural habitat of previous films and shakes things up for anything to happen and some important rules to be learnt. Plus with its catchy musical interpretations, Chipwrecked<\/em> has to be the best Chipmunk film so far for the uninitiated to be exposed to, offering wholesome family entertainment and a welcome glimpse of the sun, sea and sand on these chilling winter days.<\/p>\n

3\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

By @FilmGazer<\/p>\n

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