RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
27 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:98

Fresh:26

Rotten:72

Average Rating:4.4/10

Consensus: Though cutely rendered, Alvin and the Chipmunks suffers from bland potty humor and a rehashed kids' movie formula.

Australian Rating: G [See Full Rating] General

Runtime: 1 hr 32 mins

Genre: Childrens

Australian Theatrical Release:
Jan 3, 2008 Wide

US Box Office: $217,172,612

Synopsis: This live-action/computer-animated update of Ross Bagdasarian's squeaky-voiced cartoon characters finds the chipmunks (in CGI form) transported from their woodland habitat to the city, where they... This live-action/computer-animated update of Ross Bagdasarian's squeaky-voiced cartoon characters finds the chipmunks (in CGI form) transported from their woodland habitat to the city, where they wind up in the home of Dave Seville (Jason Lee). Dave, a down-on-his-luck songwriter, realizes the potential of a singing chipmunk pop act, and becomes an unlikely mentor/father figure to feisty Alvin, brainy Simon, and dopey Theodore. Meanwhile, the threesome causes chaos in his life, leading to plenty of fun, frenetic scenarios. When a devious record executive (David Cross) enters the picture, however, Alvin and the Chipmunks must deal with both the trappings of fame and their loyalty to the amiable, hapless Dave. Directed by Tim Hill (GARFIELD: A TALE OF TWO KITTIES), ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS simultaneously modernizes and pays tribute to the classic title characters, who first appeared in the late 1950s and became wildly popular in the '60s. While Lee (MY NAME IS EARL) is well cast as the perpetually exasperated Dave, Long (LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD) steals the show as the voice of Alvin, who provides the group's lively spirit. Though some older viewers may wince at the prospect of their beloved Chipmunks rapping, the movie is generally respectful of the franchise's long legacy, and will easily win over a younger generation. [More]

Starring: Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Jane Lynch

Starring: Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Jane Lynch, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney

Director: Tim Hill

Director: Tim Hill
Screenwriter: Jon Vitti, Will McRobb, Chris Viscardi
Story: Jon Vitti
Producer: Ross Bagdasarian, Janice Karman
Composer: Christopher Lennertz
Studio: Fox 2000 Pictures

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
    Trailer 2
    >
1 - 2 of 2

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Alvin and the Chipmunks

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
06/20/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Whatever residual affection you may harbor for the Chipmunks will vanish completely if you fork over good money to see this cheaply made and aggravatingly stupid movie.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
12/14/07
Ethan Alter
Ethan Alter
Film Journal International

CGI critters are silly -- but very kid-friendly.

Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | comment Comment
12/13/07
Sandie Angulo Chen
Sandie Angulo Chen
Common Sense Media

There is a chance I have simply outgrown Alvin, Simon and Theodore. But I can still recognize a quality film and this isn't it.

Full Review Source: The Scorecard Review | comment Comment
03/04/08
Jeff Bayer
Jeff Bayer
The Scorecard Review

Shockingly, the movie's easy to like -- an anti-Hannah Montana parable in which young performers discover they prefer the comfort and security of home to the high-pressure glitz of rock and roll stardom.

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
12/14/07
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

Is it for kids? Adults? Marsupials? Martians? Who can tell. Jason Lee from My Name Is Earl stars - if that is the word - in this thoroughly brain-dead semi-animated family comedy.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
12/21/07
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's not that bad. It's just kind of gross and upsetting.

Full Review Source: Antagony & Ecstasy | comment Comment
12/18/07
Tim Brayton
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy

Desperately conceived on every level, this forlorn family film amounts to little more than celluloid roadkill.

Full Review Source: Creative Loafing | comment Comment
12/20/07
Matt Brunson
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing

If the idea of three squeaky-voiced squirrels as pop gods makes you shudder, Alvin And The Chipmunks won't make you change your mind - but there's enough spritely mischief in this flawed family comedy to provide some light-hearted fun.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
12/21/07
Saxon Bullock
Saxon Bullock
Channel 4 Film

The script leans heavily on the pranks and big-eyed cuteness of the li'l guys and leaves the live actors with unfunny dialogue and nothing to do.

Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
12/14/07
Ty Burr
Ty Burr
Boston Globe

With such a thin plot, the CGI here is adequate yet underwhelming, and the same can be said for the gags

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
12/18/07
Laura Bushell
Laura Bushell
BBC

It's not made for the pretentious New York film critic. Instead, it's a film filled with slapstick, silliness and its fair share of bathroom humor.

Full Review Source: Film School Rejects | comment Comment
12/15/07
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
Film School Rejects

It’s the kind of family entertainment that makes you reach for the shotgun.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
12/21/07
James Christopher
James Christopher
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Four out of five stars for being cuter, funnier, and, besides, the character design far exceeded my expectations.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/18/07
Stina Chyn
Stina Chyn
Film Threat

At least this film, based on classic characters, is bright and energetic, because it's otherwise condescending, corny and utterly unfunny.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
12/12/07
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

By the end of the movie, even the Chipmunks' youngest fans will find themselves wishing that Alvin and the boys would get back to where they once belonged: a tree.

Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
12/14/07
Stephen Cole
Stephen Cole
Globe and Mail

OK!!! Here I sit - and I'm not kidding about this - typing away and listening to a song that could be one of the first bits of music I ever heard.

Full Review Source: Quad City Times (Davenport, IA) | comment Comment
02/09/08
Linda Cook
Linda Cook
Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)

Filled with cheap slapstick, annoying high-pitched singing, and a variety of fart gags, all of which amused my daughter but not me.

Full Review Source: DVDTalk.com | comment 3 Comments
11/19/08
David Cornelius
David Cornelius
DVDTalk.com

The original recordings of Alvin were among the lowest moments in the history of popular culture. This soulless rehash, with its fart and poop jokes, proves that even one-note wonders can be diminished.

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
12/13/07
Colin Covert
Colin Covert
Minneapolis Star Tribune

When Lee's finally called upon to yell the trademark 'Alllllvin!' it feels like a forced whimper that only reminds us how stale the decades-old material is.

Full Review Source: Associated Press | comment Comment
12/12/07
Jake Coyle
Jake Coyle
Associated Press
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
all

Latest News for Alvin and the Chipmunks

March 31, 2008: RT on DVD: Oscar-Winning Sweeney Todd Slashes Away The Competition
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd as Tim Burton's deliciously gory operetta-turned-film spectacle comes to DVD, the critical superior to the CGI/live-action Alvin and the... More...

March 13, 2008: Box Office Guru Preview: Carrey-Carell Ticket To Win Landslide Victory
Three new releases roll into multiplexes across North America - one the size of an elephant, the others like specks of dust. More...

February 14, 2008: Box Office Preview: Four New Candidates Arrive For Presidents' Day
The annual convergence of the Valentine's Day and Presidents' Day holidays has lead to a unique situation this year as studios are all releasing their wide openers on Thursday... More...

January 10, 2008: Box Office Guru Preview: Captain Jack and Captain Morgan Set Sail
For the first time in three weeks, studios will pack a Friday with plenty of new releases as four films open or expand nationwide giving the box office chart a major shakeup.... More...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

68% 68% Sherlock Holmes 26/12
40% 40% The Lovely Bones 26/12
100% 100% The French Kissers 26/12
85% 85% Bright Star 26/12
87% 87% Nowhere Boy 26/12
18% 18% Alvin and the Chipmunk… 26/12
10% 10% Did You Hear About the… 26/12
05% 05% Old Dogs 26/12

What’s Hot On RT

New Alice Trailer

New Alice Trailer

Tim Burton returns to the rabbit hole

20 Must-See Films

20 Must-See Films

Your essential Summer Movie Guide

James Cameron

James Cameron

We look at the Avatar director's career

Golden Globes!

Golden Globes!

See who got nominated for the awards

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Bryan Singer Returning to X-Men for First Class Source: Superhero Hype
102
  • Mark Strong Talks Kick-Ass, John Carter, and Robin Hood Source: Collider.com
1
  • How Avatar Happened: The Path to Innovation Source: CinemaBlend.com
19
  • Rob Marshall Says Pirates 4 Is Still a Maybe Source: ComingSoon.net
32
  • ET Teases Iron Man 2 Teaser Source: Collider.com
28
  • Tobey Maguire Refutes Hobbit Rumors Source: Hollywood Reporter
9
  • Prince of Persia Featurette Posted Source: Yahoo! Movies
4
  • Trailer Bulletin: Robin Hood Source: ComingSoon.net
61
  • Mel Gibson Plans a Mexican Vacation Source: Variety
8
  • New Iron Man 2 Clue Posted Source: Screen Rant
26
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Critics Consensus: Avatar Is Certified Fresh
191
  • Awards Tour 2009: Golden Globe Noms Here!
145
  • Total Recall: James Cameron Movies
88
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Girlpower Rules Again with Princess at #1
70
  • Awards Tour 2009: Inglourious Basterds Lead Critics Choice Noms
44
  • Awards Tour 2009: SAG Nominations Are In!
39
  • Awards Tour 2009: Avatar Best Picture at NYFCO!
38
  • Weekly Ketchup: Bryan Singer Teaches X-Men: First Class
19
  • Awards Tour 2009: The Hurt Locker Dominates Boston Society of Film Critics
18
  • Awards Tour 2009: LAFCA: The Hurt Locker Tops List
12
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
23
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Alvin and the Chipmunks at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Alvin and the Chipmunks at IGN
  • Alvin and the Chipmunks at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
40 Best Films of the 2000s
40 Best Films of the 2000s External Link

Last week, Moviefone offered us their worst films of the 2000s. Now see their 40 best!

Worst Hollywood Remakes of the Decade
Worst Hollywood Remakes of the Decade External Link

Movieline gets bravely swept away with the recycled refuse of the 2000s.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 prize packs
Win Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 prize packs External Link

We're giving away a bunch of stuff from the upcoming Squeakquel.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.