HOLLYWOOD—It is hard to fathom that in a short span of 8 years we have had a total of FOUR, yes count it, four “Alvin and the Chipmunks” flicks. Yeah, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the notion of how I got stuck taking my nieces and nephews to see the latest installment each time it arrives in the theaters.
This time around kids will be treated to “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.” Yes the title is quite clever to say the least. This time around are furry little friends, Alvin (voice of Justin Long), Simon (voice of Matthew Gray Gubler) and Theodore (voice of Jesse McCartney) find themselves getting into a bevy of trouble when they take a trip on the road for a bit of adventure.
The Chipmunks presume that their owner Dave (Jason Lee) will kick them to the curb when they discover he is planning to propose to his new girlfriend Samantha (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) in Miami. Getting wind of the engagement, the gang does everything in their power to stop Dave from possibly making a horrible mistake.
Along the way they get into quite some trouble, but tagging along for the journey are the Chipettes (voices of Christina Applegate, Anna Faris and Kaley Cuoco). Like previous installments in the franchise, the movie finds a way to intertwine pop culture into the movie to deliver a level of relevance to the viewers.
Yes, we continue to get those countless reinterpretations of those pop songs that have been heard across the globe, only in the version of chipmunks. For those kiddies out there who have never heard of a cassette tape, if you rewind it, you will hear what sounds precisely like the chipmunks on the big screen. As a critic, I cannot sit here and argue that the fourth chapter in the franchise brings anything new to the table. It’s a collaboration of silly and at times outdated gags that have been seen in most comedies, only this time with animals pulling the strings.
Supporting players Tony Hale, Williams-Paisley, Bella Thorne and Josh Green do their best to add laughs for the viewer. And as much as I’d like to argue the flick is just plain silly, I found myself slightly laughing just as much as my nieces and nephews so go figure. “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip” is not going to have a profound impact on an adult’s life or a kid, but it will keep them occupied for about 90 minutes while you take care of a few things that are more important.
