Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

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 Directed by
 Produced by
 Written by
* Jonathan Aibel
 Based on
*The Chipettes*
 Starring
* David Cross
* Jason Lee
* Justin Long
* Matthew Gray Gubler
* Jesse McCartney
* Amy Poehler
* Anna Faris
 Music by
 Cinematography
 Edited by
 Production
company
* Regency Enterprises[1]
* Bagdasarian Company[2]
 Distributed by
 Release date
 Running time
 Budget

***Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel*** is a 2009 American live-action/computer animated musical family comedy film directed by Betty Thomas. It is the second live action/animated film starring Alvin and the Chipmunks and 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. The film 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 Company. It is a sequel to the 2007 film *Alvin and the Chipmunks* and was released in theaters on December 23, 2009 by 20th Century Fox. The film grossed $443.1 million[5] on a $70 million[4] budget.

## Contents

* 1Plot
* 2Cast
	+ 2.1Cameos
* 3Reception
	+ 3.1Box office
	+ 3.2Critical response
	+ 3.3Accolades
* 4Soundtrack
	+ 4.1Track listing
	+ 4.2Chart performance
* 5Marketing
	+ 5.1Video game
	+ 5.2Home media
* 6Sequels
* 7References
* 8External links

## Plot[edit]

Dave is injured when a cardboard cutout of Alvin sends him flying across the stage during a charity benefit concert. Dave asks his aunt, Jackie, to look after the Chipmunks, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. Arrangements are also made for them to go to West Eastman High School. After Jackie also has an accident, the Chipmunks are left in the care of Toby, Jackie's grandson and Dave's cousin.

Former CEO Ian Hawke, who is broke and destitute, lives in the basement of JETT Records. Three singing female chipmunks, Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor, also known as The Chipettes, emerge from a FedEx package. Ian recruits and hires the Chipettes in an effort to resurrect his career.

While at school, bullies ridicule the Chipmunks and threaten to kill them because their girlfriends are attracted to them. They chase the Chipmunks around the school, give Simon a swirlie in a toilet and poke at Theodore's butt. The Chipmunks are summoned to the principal's office and discover the principal, Dr. Rubin, is a fan. She enlists their help to raise money for a music program by participating in a contest. 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, both groups are smitten with each other. However, Brittany reminds the girls that Ian said the Chipmunks betrayed him and are untrustworthy. Alvin and the boys struggle to make it through a rehearsal because of their new crushes. Ian smugly walks in and introduces his new stars, the Chipettes. The boys are shocked to see the girls are working with Ian, and a rivalry emerges when Ian convinces Dr. Rubin to let the Chipettes compete in the Battle of the Bands. Dr. Rubin sets up a concert for the two groups to compete to represent the school.

Alvin becomes popular with the jocks and joins the football team, not realizing that the next game is during the concert. At the concert, Theodore and Simon tell the fans that Alvin failed to show up, and they cannot perform, leading to a victory for the Chipettes. Alvin arrives after the concert to an empty auditorium, and Brittany calls him out for his lack of responsibility. Alvin returns home and attempts to apologize to his brothers, but is ignored. Theodore runs away to the zoo the next day. Alvin and Simon save him from an eagle, and the three reconcile.

Soon, the Chipettes are hired but learn they are to perform as an opening act for a Britney Spears concert on the same night as the school contest. Ian convinces them to call off the battle and perform at the concert, but refuses to give the same credit to Jeanette and Eleanor that he gives Brittany, who demands that they all perform together or not at all, until Ian threatens to send them to a barbecue restaurant unless they perform.

Before the Battle of the Bands, Alvin receives a phone call from the Chipettes, who tell him that Ian has locked them in a cage. Alvin races off to rescue them while Simon tells Jeanette how to pick the lock 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 the Chipmunks again. Meanwhile, Ian is further exposed at the concert. He sets up for the girls when he attempts to imitate them, only to be taken away by security guards. After the contest, Dave allows the Chipettes to stay with them. Both the Chipmunks and Chipettes get ready for bed. As Alvin and Dave bicker over bedtime and fight over the light switch, Rubin has the jocks scrape the gum off from under the bleachers in the gymnasium as punishment for making Alvin late for the sing-off, and the security guards throw Ian in a dumpster.

## Cast[edit]

* Justin Long as Alvin Seville (voice)
* Christina Applegate as Brittany Miller (voice)
* Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon Seville (voice)
* Anna Faris as Jeanette Miller (voice)
* Jesse McCartney as Theodore Seville (voice)
* Amy Poehler as Eleanor Miller (voice)
* Zachary Levi as Toby Seville
* David Cross as Ian Hawke
* Jason Lee as Dave Seville
* Wendie Malick as Dr. Rubin
* Anjelah Johnson as Julie Ortega
* Kevin G. Schmidt as Ryan Edwards
* Chris Warren, Jr. as Xander
* Bridgit Mendler as Becca Kingston
* Alexandra Shipp as Valentina
* Aimee Carrero as Emily
* Brando Eaton as Jeremy Smith
* Kathryn Joosten as Aunt Jackie
* Ross Bagdasarian Jr. as Alvin Seville (singing voice)
* Steve Vining as Simon Seville (singing voice)
* Janice Karman as Theodore Seville/The Chipettes (singing voice)
* Lily Collins as Audrey Hepburn, the evil witch villain.

### Cameos[edit]

* Eric Bauza as Digger the NASCAR gopher (voice)
* Sean Astin as Meerkat Manor Narrator (voice)
* Quest Crew as Li'l Rosero Dancers
* Charice Pempengco as herself
* Honor Society as themselves

## Reception[edit]

### Box office[edit]

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*[6] with $48.9 million and a $75.6 million 5-day total, eclipsing its budget in only five days. In the US, it is the 9th highest-grossing film of 2009, and on March 7, 2010, it outgrossed its predecessor to become the second highest-grossing film to never hit #1 behind *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*.[7] *Alvin and the Chipmunks: 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.[5]

### Critical response[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 20% based on reviews from 84 critics and an average rating of 3.88/10. The site's consensus is that, "This *Squeakquel* may entertain the kiddies, but it's low on energy and heavily reliant on slapstick humor."[8] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 41 out of 100 based on 20 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[9] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade A on scale of A to F.[10][11]

Owen Gleiberman of *Entertainment Weekly* graded the film a C-.[12] Gleiberman wrote in his review with this question: "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."[12] 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."[13]

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."[14] 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*."[15]

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.[16][17] 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".[18]

### Accolades[edit]

* 2010 Kids' Choice Awards: Favorite Movie (winner)
* *2010 BAFTA Children's Awards*: BAFTA Kids' Vote - Feature Film (winner)

## Soundtrack[edit]

The Squeakquel:
 Released
 Genre
 Length
 Label
 Producer

***Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack*** is the soundtrack based on the film. It was released on December 1, 2009. Bands Honor Society and Queensberry, along with Filipino singer Charice, were all featured artists for both the movie and soundtrack.

### Track listing[edit]

Bonus track

Amazon.com Bonus track[19]

iTunes Deluxe Edition Bonus Tracks[20]

### Chart performance[edit]

 U.S. *Billboard* 200[*citation needed*] | 6

## Marketing[edit]

### Video game[edit]

 Developer(s)
 Publisher(s)
 Director(s)
 Producer(s)
 Composer(s)
 Series
 Platform(s)
 Release
 Genre(s)
 Mode(s)

***Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel*** is a platform game based on the movie. It was released on December 1, 2009 (the same day as the movie's soundtrack) only for the Wii and Nintendo DS.

### Home media[edit]

*Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel* was released on DVD/Blu-ray/Digital Copy on March 30, 2010 in North America, on April 12, 2010 in the United Kingdom and on June 2, 2010 in Australia.

## Sequels[edit]

Main article: Alvin and the Chipmunks in film § Live-action/animated films

Shortly after the film's release on DVD and Blu-ray, Fox and Regency had announced that *Alvin and the Chipmunks 3D* was scheduled to be released on December 16, 2011.[27] The title was then changed to *Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked*.[28] On January 22, 2011, Fox 2000 Pictures started production on the film during a Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Dream ship. Filming took place primarily on the ship's upper, open decks with scenes featuring actor Jason Lee (reprising his role as David Seville) and the antics of The Chipmunks in the Carnival Dream's outdoor recreation areas. Stops on the itinerary included Cozumel, Roatan, Belize and Costa Maya (which provided tropical backdrops for many of the film's shipboard scenes).[29] A fourth film, *Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip*, was released on December 18, 2015.[30]

## External links[edit]

* Official website
* *Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel* on IMDb
* *Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel* at the TCM Movie Database
* *Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel* at Box Office Mojo
* *Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel* at AllMovie

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Categories:

* 2009 films
* English-language films
* Alvin and the Chipmunks films
* 2009 soundtrack albums
* 2000s musical comedy films
* 20th Century Fox films
* American children's animated comedy films
* American Christmas films
* American fantasy films
* American musical comedy films
* American sequel films
* American films
* Dune Entertainment films
* Films directed by Betty Thomas
* Live-action films based on animated series
* Films set in Los Angeles
* Films set in Mexico City
* Films set in Paris
* Films shot in California
* Films shot in France
* Films shot in Mexico
* Films with live action and animation
* Regency Enterprises films
* Films scored by David Newman
* Films with screenplays by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger
* 2009 comedy films
* Films produced by Ross Bagdasarian Jr.
* Films produced by Janice Karman