Stranded on a remote island, Alvin (left), Theodore and Simon try and make a fire. (Credit: Twentieth Century Fox)
“Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked”
Rated G
Grade: D-
By MICHAEL WALTERS
Cantankerous Critic
After sitting through “Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked” I wished Alvin and the rest of the squeaky voiced chipmunks had gone down with the ship instead. In a woeful series where a mild chuckle is the best anyone can hope for, “Chipwrecked” left my funny bone untouched.
Jason Lee (looking like he’s questioning his life choices in every scene) returns as Dave. He’s taking the Chipmunks to a music awards show via a luxury cruise for some reason. But before long they’re off the ship and stranded on a deserted island. I think Lee might have been paid by the scream because the film contains far too many “Allllllviiiiiiiinnnnnn”s for one movie.
The series lone source of mirth, David Cross, returns as well as scheming record exec Ian, now down and out and working as cruise mascot. The film maroons him in a grubby pelican suit for the entire film, but never once gives him anything remotely funny to do. Instead the film merely coasts from one chipmunkified pop song to another.
The Chipmunk series has been coasting on fumes from the very beginning, but Chipwrecked finds it out of gas altogether. One can only hope we’ve seen the last of “Alvin.”
