Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel is a 2009 American live-action comedy film directed by Betty Thomas. It is the second installment in the Alvin and the Chipmunks film series, the film stars Zachary Levi, David Cross and Jason Lee with the voices of Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris and Christina Applegate. It was written by Jon Vitti, Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, distributed by 20th Century Fox, and produced by Fox 2000 Pictures, Regency Enterprises and Bagdasarian Productions. The film is a sequel to the 2007 film Alvin and the Chipmunks and was released in theaters on December 23, 2009.
Plot[]
During a benefit concert in Paris, France, David Seville (Jason Lee) is injured. Having to recuperate there, Dave asks his aunt (Kathryn Joosten) to look after the Chipmunks, Alvin (Justin Long), Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Theodore (Jesse McCartney). Arrangements are also made for them to go to school at West Eastman High School. After another accident, the Chipmunks are left in the care of Toby (Zachary Levi), Jackie's grandson who is more interested in video games but is willing to watch them nonetheless. Meanwhile, Ian Hawke (David Cross) lives in the basement of JETT Records as after the Chipmunks left him, he lost his money and house and hasn't been able to find a good music deal. Three singing female chipmunks, Brittany (Christina Applegate), Jeanette (Anna Faris) and Eleanor (Amy Poehler), also known as The Chipettes, emerge having heard of the Chipmunks. After meeting and performing for Ian he expresses interest in their talent. When they ask him when they will meet them, he says that he no longer represents the Chipmunks. He makes up an exasperated story how the Chipmunks ditched him despite his kindness to them. So Ian hires the Chimpettes as plot to get back at the Chipmunks and revive his career.
While at school, the Chipmunks are bullied by jocks because the girls like the Chipmunks. After a brief chase and fight, they visit the principal's office, only to discover that the principal, Dr. Rubin (Wendie Malick) is a huge fan and wants them to help raise money for a music program by participating in a contest by representing the schools. Meanwhile, Ian is shocked to find the Chipmunks on the front page of his newspaper. After he reads a story about them, he quickly sends the Chipettes to school.
When the Chipmunks meet the Chipettes, they are amazed by one another. However a rivalry forms after the former group learns that the latter group are with Ian. Ian tries to make Chipettes represent the school for the contest but the Principal says she made her decision. Even after an incredible and cheers from around the school the principal's keeps her choice but after some cheering the principal agrees to a sing off and the winner will perform in the contest. The Chimpettes start to meet up while Eleanore and Theodore get along, Brittany and Alvin have a bad start, while Alvin does try to warn Britney about Ian's true motives (he's only using the girls and will lock them in a cage) she doesn't believe him. Meanwhile, Alvin becomes popular with the jocks and joins the football team, not realizing that the next game is during the concert. At the concert, the Chipettes put on a great show (with Ian filming and leaving his number). With Alvin not there, Theodore and Simon tell the fans that Alvin didn't show up and that they can't perform without their brother, leading to a victory for the Chipettes. When Alvin finally shows up after the concert is over, he finds the auditorium empty, Brittany tells Alvin what happened and that Ian was right about him only caring about himself and at home is ignored by his brothers. The next day, Alvin discovers Theodore ran away to the zoo. Before he can be eaten, Alvin makes amends with his brother claiming he should be eaten, the three escape and hug each other.
Soon the Chipettes are hired, they are to perform as an opening act for a Britney Spears concert at the Staples Center. They soon learn that the concert is on the same night as the school contest which makes them hesitant. Ian convinces them to blow off the battle and perform at the concert, but when giving them roles refuses to give the same credit to Jeanette and Eleanor that he gives Brittany. She demands that they all go together or not at all, until Ian threatens to send them to a barbecue restaurant (in a similar manner to the Chipmunks) unless they perform.
Before the Battle Of The Bands, Alvin receives a call from the Chipettes who tell him that Ian has locked them in a cage, so Alvin races off to rescue them while Simon tells Jeanette how to open the cage over the cell phone. Simon and Theodore are on the verge of going out to perform until the others arrive just in time to perform at the contest. The Chipmunks and the Chipettes perform together and receive the money for the music program. Dave, who had left the hospital upon learning that Toby was looking after the Chipmunks, returns during the contest happy to see his boys again. Meanwhile, Ian gets into more trouble at the concert of Staples Center he set up for the girls when he attempts to imitate them, Ian is booed off stage and escorted out by security. After the contest, Dave allows the Chipettes to stay with them.
In two post-credits scenes, Dr. Rubin has the jocks scrape gum off from under the bleachers in the gymnasium, while Ian is thrown into a dumpster.
Cast[]
- Justin Long as Alvin Seville (Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. as Alvin's singing voice).
- Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon Seville (Steve Vining as Simon's singing voice).
- Jesse McCartney as Theodore Seville.
- Christina Applegate as Brittany (Janice Karman as Brittany's singing voice).
- Anna Faris as Jeanette (Janice Karman as Jeanette's singing voice).
- Amy Poehler as Eleanor (Janice Karman as Eleanor's singing voice).
- Zachary Levi as Toby Seville
- David Cross as Ian Hawke
- Jason Lee as David "Dave" Seville
- Wendie Malick as Dr. Rubin
- Anjelah Johnson as Julie Ortega
- Kathryn Joosten as Aunt Jackie
- Kevin G. Schmidt as Ryan Edwards
- Chris Warren, Jr. as Xander
- Bridgit Mendler as Becca Kingston
Cameos[]
- Quest Crew as Li'l Rosero Dancers
- Charice Pempengco as herself
- Honor Society as themselves
- Eric Bauza as Digger the Gopher (voice)
Production[]
During the preproduction of Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel in 2009, most of his scenes were rewritten, with much of Lee's role being replaced with Levi’s role, Toby Seville. The visual effects and animation for the chipmunks were produced by Los Angeles-based Rhythm and Hues Studios. David Newman composed the film's musical score, replacing Christopher Lennertz.
Reception[]
Box office[]
On its opening Wednesday, the film opened to #1 with $18.8 million and finished the weekend at #3 behind Fox's own Avatar and Warner Bros' Sherlock Holmes with $48.9 million and a $75.6 million 5-day total, eclipsing its budget in only 5 days. In the US, it was the 9th highest-grossing film of 2009, and on March 7, 2010, it out-grossed its predecessor to become the second highest-grossing film to never hit #1 behind My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The Squeakquel ended its run with $219.6 million in the US and $223.5 million overseas for a total of $443.1 million worldwide.
Critical response[]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 21% of 85 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4/10. The website's consensus reads: "This Squeakquel may entertain the kiddies, but it's low on energy and heavily reliant on slapstick humor." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 41 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade A on scale of A+ to F.
Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly graded the film a C-, asking, "Will kids eat up this cutely fractious claptrap? Of course they will. They'll eat up whatever you put in front of them. But that doesn't make The Squeakquel good for them." Sue Robinson from Radio Times said that "even if there's little here for older viewers to enjoy, youngsters will love the slapstick action and catchy soundtrack."
Joe Leydon, writing for Variety, called it "a frenetic but undeniably funny follow-up that offers twice the number of singing-and-dancing rodents in another seamless blend of CGI and live-action elements." Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times commented on Betty Thomas' direction, saying that she brings "a light campy touch as she did in 1995's The Brady Bunch Movie."
After the film had garnered $112 million worldwide at the box office over its first weekend, some critics were disappointed that it was more popular than other movies in wide release aimed at a family audience. Richard Corliss of Time wrote that families "could have taken the cherubs to The Princess and the Frog or Disney's A Christmas Carol, worthy efforts that, together, took in only about a fifth of the Chipmunks' revenue in the same period".
Accolades[]
At the 2010 Kids' Choice Awards, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel won Favorite Movie. The film was one of the nominees for the "Family" category at the 2010 National Movie Awards, losing to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009).Music supervisor Julianne Jordan won the Guild of Music Supervisors Award for Best Music Supervision for a Film in 2011. At the 2010 British Academy Children's Awards, The Squeakquel won Kid's Vote — Film.