What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this is a mildly entertaining
adventure set against a backdrop of international wonders, with
little suspense to worry younger viewers. Greed and competition
get the action rolling, but teamwork and friendship rise to the
top by the end. There are negative stereotypes of Arab thugs, a
sheik is infantile and spoiled, and some Africans they meet are
cannibals.
Families can talk about the call that Alvin and the Chipmunks place to the babysitter to convince her they are going to see Dave. Do you think that could ever work? Of all the destinations the chipmunk friends visit, which would you most like to see?
Common Sense Media Review
In a case of video game competitiveness gone haywire,
helium-voiced Alvin (voiced by Ross Bagdasarian Jr.) and his
two sidekicks race around the world in a bid to beat their
female counterparts in THE CHIPMUNK ADVENTURE. The dastardly
Claudia (Susan Tyrell) and her oily brother Klaus (Anthony de
Longis) embroil the unsuspecting woodland creatures in a
diamond smuggling operation, putting them into the sights of
the mysterious Jamal (Ken Sansom). Taking breaks from eluding
hatchet-faced thugs to break into rock 'n' roll song, the
Chipmunks and Chipettes must find a way to work together as
they travel through spectacular international sites like Machu
Pichu, Rio de Janiero, London, and Egypt.
The filmmakers did a service by introducing the Chipettes, tough and brave girl chipmunks who provide some balance for Alvin, Theodore (director Janice Karman), and Simon (Ross Bagdasarian Jr again). The story moves along at a decent pace and a few of the smaller characters, like daffy babysitter Miss Miller (Dody Goodman), are well rounded. Animated scenes of locations like London, Holland, and Mexico City are a nice touch, and the rock concert amidst Greek statuary is memorable. The soundtrack includes some lovely original melodies and old favorites like "Wooly Bully."
But if you're not a fan of the Chipmunks the plot alone will not be enough to hook you. The dialog is dumbed down to make character motivation superfluous, as when Klaus observes "We're quite wealthy and very bored." The plot may be a bit confusing for kids younger than 5, and too predictable for those older than 10.
Other Chipmunk movies include Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman and the 2007 live action Alvin and the Chipmunks .
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
