Why reinvent the wheel is what director Mike Mitchell (Shrek Forever After, Sky High) must have been telling himself going into the making of Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked.  The previous two Chipmunk films have both made hundreds of millions at the box office, so why would he change the dollar-earning formula?  He keeps it simple and familiar so as not to alienate any of the folks who liked the previous two films.  Wise, but unadventurous, man.

The story is another paper thin one, but that doesn’t seem to matter as all those who attend these films care about is watching the Chipmunks getting into trouble and try and get out of it.  There are no pretenses made about characters developing or inserting some depth into the story.  No need as the movie going public isn’t demanding it.  As long as we keep going they will keep churning this kind of stuff out.

Dave (Jason Lee – from television’s My Name is Earl) has good news for his three chipmunks – they are all going on a cruise as they all need a vacation.  Alvin (Justin Long – Drag Me to Hell, Live Free or Die Hard), Simon (Matthew Gray Grubler – from television’s Criminal Minds) and Theodore (Jesse McCartney – Horton Hears a Who, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue) are all understandably excited.  Accompanied by the three Chipettes, Eleanor (Amy Poehler – from television’s Parks and Recreation), Jeanette (Anna Faris – Scary Movie 4, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs) and Brittany (Christina Applegate – from television’s Up All Night), there is bound to be plenty of fun aboard the cruise ship.

Of course, nothing the Chipmunks are ever involved in goes smoothly.  So once on board the ship becomes their private playground with Chipmunks running everywhere.  Bad behavior and shenanigans ensue.  In the midst of all the chaos the Chipmunks and Chipettes find themselves falling overboard and stranded on what they believe to be a deserted island.

They soon discover that they are not alone as a girl named Zoe (Jenny Slate – from television’s Saturday Night Live) is also stranded there.  Dave and Ian (David Cross – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kung Fu Panda) desperately begin looking for the six chipmunks.

What I really abhor about this film series is the insistence on Chipmunking hit pop songs.  In this one you get LMFAO’s “Party Rock”, The Gogo’s “Vacation”, Destiny Child’s “Survivor”, and Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”.  All done in a sped up kinda of way that is bound to make you fillings fall out.  No more, please!  The cuteness factor wore off about a dozen songs ago.

Critics are never going to like a film like this, so the true gauge of the film’s success is how much the kids like it.  If you are younger than 10 then you will be delighted by the antics of the Chipmunks.  If you are any older then you will be a lot less pleased.  I sat through it counting my blessings that it wasn’t in 3D.  The over 10s will have to grin and bear it in order to keep the wee ones happy.