CrawlerChunky
In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin
The movie really just wants to entertain people.
Billy Ollie
Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
ironhorse_iv
This movie directed by Janice Karman, is one of my favorite guilty movie pleasure. Based off, the classic 1960s animated characters created by Ross Bagdasarian & way better than the recent loosely based live-action adaptation films came to ruin the long latest franchise for most fans; Alvin and the Chipmunks first feature-length animated adventure was not that bad. This movie follows the 1980's NBC show's revenue of the novelty music group to a t. It even introduce us, to the Chipettes, the female musical counterparts of the Chipmucks. Written and voiced mostly by Janice Karman and Ross Bagdasarian Jr, the movie tells the story of the two music groups, the Chipmucks and the Chipettes travelling the world in a hot air balloon race to deliver dolls at certain locations for a brother/sister team of European diamond smugglers, Klaus (Voiced by Anthony De Longis) & Claudia Furschtein (Voiced by Susan Tyrrell), in which, the winners will collect a prize of $100,000. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I found the mixer of author Jules Vernes 1873's novel, 'Around the World in Eighty Days', with the Chipmuck concept very weird and illogical, but somewhat entertaining. Don't get me wrong, the whole idea of diamond smuggling, could have work; only if the movie had a more realistic plot, in which the boys and the girls were smuggling them, during their own musical world tour, travelling place to place on plane. It makes more sense with the time of travel, and how many cities, they have to hit. After all, aren't these boys and girls, like famous singers, at this point, in the series!? Wouldn't some type of media, would had reported, the Chipmunks travelling the world in a hot air balloon? It doesn't make sense for their owner/manager, David Seville (Voiced by Ross Bagdasarian Jr) not to know, about their hot air balloon scheme, way earlier in the film. After all, isn't he, their music manager!? Why is he going to a business trip, without them? Also, how in the hell, did Miss Miller (Voiced by Dody Goodman), not know of the balloon scheme!? Isn't she, the Chipette's guardian? This movie doesn't make sense. Another thing that really bug me, about this smuggling diamonds plot is how Klaus and Claudia believe, this uber-expensive and outdated form of transport, was going to work in a world-wide trip. It's clear, by this movie, that these things are not only, hard to control, but also clearly dangerous. There is no way, these balloons would survived in the hands of children for this long. Nor would they ever find each other. Sorry, Amazonian rescue scene. Also, who in their right mind, give two hot air balloons to untrained children!? In real-life, this plan would fail, very quick; because of child endangerment laws or the fact that the Chipmunks and Chipette are very well-known celebs. They would quickly get catch. No smuggler is willing risk, millions of dollars on a complex plan like this. Unless, it's short distance like the 1972 drug-heist film, 'The Big Score: A Ton of Grass Goes to Pot', with adult hot air ballooners. Another thing that bug me is where did all those dolls come from in the first place? I can accept that in-universe, The Chipmunks and The Chipettes would probably have merchandising, and perhaps Klaus and Claudia, being wealthy, could have bought a bunch of commercially-available/fully-licensed dolls to stuff diamonds in, but that doesn't explain how other people in their smuggling ring across the world also have the same dolls to stuff diamonds in, especially in the timeline in this movie is working it. Maybe, I'm thinking too much of the silly plot and should allow myself, to take it as it is. I would, if the movie wasn't full of negative stereotypes like 'white slavery' Arabs, Gun-shooting Mexicans, and Cannibal South Americans. This movie has a pretty mess view on other people culture, when you think, deep about it. You can also add, the weird sexual tone in, which this movie portray the Chipettes. Lots of shots of them in scantily clothes. Maybe, a little too sexual suggestive. Did we really need that much, panty shots? Despite that, the animation at the time was pretty good. Bagdasarian Productions picked up a lot of the Disney animators who were laid off after a number of Disney films flopped. Still, there were some noticeable inconsistencies with the character designs all throughout the movie. However, there are a few things, where this movie works best at. One is humor and the action. This movie is laugh out funny and intense at moment. Even, as an adult, I can still laugh at some of the jokes and be afraid for their safety. Another thing that I love from this movie is the music. Songs like 'My Mother', 'Off to See the World', 'Wooly Bully' and 'The Girls and Boys of Rock and Roll' can easily be heard in my playlist. I know, a lot of people might have mixed feelings about the squeaky high pitch voicing, but I didn't find them, to be that annoying. The only thing, I found somewhat irritating is some of the characters clichés stereotypical one-dimensional bickering and misbehavior. Overall: if you're not a fan of the Chipmunks music, the over the top action plot alone will not be enough to hook you. If you are, check this movie out. It's a lot better than the newer films, big time. Lots of fun for the whole family.
DarthBill
PLOT IN A NUTSHELL: Dave Seville, father figure & manager of the Chipmunk brothers Alvin, Simon & Theodore, has gone off to Europe on a business trip, leaving the boys at home with Miss Miller as their watcher, much to the chagrin of Alvin, who wanted to go to Europe. While playing against his female counterpart, Brittany, the leader of the Chipettes, comprised of her younger sisters Jeanette (the female counterpart of Simon) and Eleanor (the female counterpart of Theodore) in a fierce arcade game of Around the World in 30 Days, they catch the attention of two evil foreign siblings who need to smuggle money & diamonds around the world, but need a way to do it that won't draw the attention of their arch enemy, Jamal. The 2 evil siblings, Claudia & Klaus, overhear the banter between Alvin & Brittany and decide to use them as the delivery boys & girls for their loot (more Claudia's idea than Klaus's, the latter initially objects feeling that it's too dangerous for children). The 2 siblings make an offer to the boys & girls - travel via air balloons to 12 drop off points to leave dolls (which resemble the kids) that contain diamonds and/or money to indicate their arrival, with the promise that whoever wins the race will get an obscene amount of money. But as the two different set of talking animal siblings make their rounds, they are stalked by the henchmen of Jamal - but who is Jamal? Is he friend or foe? OVERALL: Enjoyable, lighthearted farce based on the 1980s TV series version of Alvin & the Chipmunks. Beautiful animation is a highlight, lacks the crude humor that keeps creeping into today's family films and engaging songs (Boys & Girls of Rock & Roll being a stand out). Eagle eyed fans will probably notice that Brittany's character design has been tweaked from the animated series, giving her a less round face while adding a seemingly permanent blush to cheeks (which Jeanette & Eleanor also display).Keep an ear out for Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson.
Sean A. Owens
"The Chipmunk Adventure" is one of the greatest animated movies of the 1980's. Alvin and the Chipmunks have always been of some interest to me, since they were what really got me into rock and roll. Neither one of the Chipmunks has any bad traits. Alvin's really the star and has all the cool looks. Theodore is the lovable sensitive one. Then there's Simon (my personal favorite), the smart one who is often a party pooper. I also like the Chipettes a lot. There's Brittany, who, like Alvin, is one who is always trying to be so popular. Then there's Eleanor, who, like Theodore, is sweet, sensitive, and loves food. Janette is the only Chipette who is not much like her counterpart; she's very naive and really clumsy.In the Chipmunks' very first full-length movie, David Seville is going on a business trip to Europe, and he's leaving the boys with Miss Miller while he's gone. While playing an arcade game, Alvin loses against Brittany and then says that if he had the money, he'd race Brittany around the world for real. Unbeknownest to the kids, a man named Klaus Furschtien and his sister, Claudia, who have been trying to come up with a sneaky way to deliver diamonds around the world in exchange for cash, overheard this conversation and said that they'd let them race around the world for $100,000. Alvin and Brittany accept it and go on the race.This adventurous movie has a lot of great songs. "Off to See the World" made for an appropriate theme song for the movie. Then there is "Getting Lucky", one of my favorite songs in the movie. "My Mother" is most likely the sappiest song in the movie, but it always makes me cry. "Wooly Bully" is the only cover song used in the movie (the rest were completely original). Then, of course, there's "The Boys and Girls of Rock and Roll", which, in my opinion, has to be one of the greatest musical numbers in movie history.I used to watch this movie very often, until my recorded tape of it died. I still watch the movie, though. This is actually a fun movie for people who are about to go on a vacation to a foreign country for the first time. It'll give you an idea of what kind of stuff you'd expect out of world travel. Definitely one of my childhood movies, and one that I'd recommend to 80's fans and Alvin & the Chipmunks fans.
Zombafyed
Like many other reviewers of this film, I am an 80s child. At 21 now, I am still captivated by this extraordinary film. You see animated movies nowadays, and with some exceptions, are usually lacking substance, and clean fun. The Chipmunk Adventure is just plain fun. I, personally, found the chipmunk show boring when I was younger, and I don't remember how I ended up watching this movie. But I am really glad that I did. Not only is it great to keep and watch to remind you of childhood days past, but it is also a great film to keep in your family, and run through generations. I am keeping mine for me, and when my son gets old enough, we can enjoy it together. An adult who has not seen the movie before might find it boring, but if he/she does, then they are too warped by todays conception of what a 'good' animated flick is. There are no REAL celebrity voices, no fancy computer animated effects, just good animation, kick-ass songs, and a really solid, enjoyable storyline. The characters are impossible to forget, and the famous 'Boys/Girls of Rock 'n' Roll' seen has stuck with me for years. I love this movie, and I honestly can't think of why anyone would walk away from this movie disappointed. I give it a perfect score, because it is perfect for what it is.
