'Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel' gets into trouble

"Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" is a kid's comedy that screams "Direct to DVD." It doesn't help that it screams that in high, squeaky, three-part harmony.

Whatever slim charms there were in the nostalgic, musically cute and slapstick-friendly first film of chipmunk mania are squished right out of "The Squeakquel" like so much rodent roadkill. The cast is cut-rate and the script needs a serious visit from a serious gag writer.

Apparently, Fox blew the budget on tunes. Songs from Beyoncé and Katy Perry to the Bee Gees and the Kinks are amusingly covered by competing bands of harmonizing forest fauna.

Alvin (voiced by Justin Long), Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Theodore (Jesse McCartney) take a step back from fame to go to West Eastman High School, where they cope with bullies, girls, budget cuts to the school's music program and Alvin's egomania.

Alvin's all about fitting in with the jocks, ditching his nerdy brothers, slinging the slang.

"BOO-yah! It is on like Donkey Kong!"

They do it all without their "Dad," David Seville (Jason Lee, wisely opting to do his few scenes in traction in a hospital room). So Dave's irresponsible, video-game-addict cousin Toby (Zachary Levi) is put in charge.

There must be rules for playing the human straight man or woman in talking-critter movies. Rule one has to be, "Don't make the audience feel sorry for you for taking the part." Whatever network executives saw in Levi (TV's "Chuck" and "Less Than Perfect"), he hasn't the charisma to fill even a small fraction of the big screen. He doesn't try. Levi didn't phone this in — he texted.

A Destiny's Child-inspired countergroup, the Chipettes — managed by the Chipmunks' old agent-nemesis, Ian (David Cross) — shows up to shake their money makers, tempt the boys and sing "(Single Ladies) Put a Ring on It" and other recent girl-group hits. The film credits Anna Faris, Amy Poehler and Christina Applegate with doing their voices, but who can verify that?

The script — Jon Vitti, Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger will be deleting this from their résumés — has one laugh in it. One. If you don't know what "Dutch Oven!" means in relation to flatulence, ask your kids.