The Chipmunks and their co-ed counterparts, the Chipettes, find themselves caught up in a sinister plot to smuggle diamonds in this one, with both groups unwittingly delivering the stolen goods to various locales around the world under the guise of racing each other in a Phineas Fogg inspired hot air balloon contest. Both groups encounter various momentary problems along the way, nothing too dramatic or frightening, per the target audience. There are also occasional musical numbers, including a cute rock 'n' roll duel between the boys and girls and a sweet, if treacly, ballad dedicated to the mother of a kidnapped baby penguin (don't ask).

There's some good voice work here, from stalwart Bagdasarian as well as newer talents like Nancy Cartwright, here voicing a boy Sheik sort of like Bart Simpson with an Arab accent.

There's nothing groundbreaking or tremendously exciting here, but there's also nothing horrendous or outright boring, especially for the younger set. A happy ending is a foregone conclusion in an adventure like this, and the Chipmunks and Chipettes manage to get there with a minimum of fuss or bother.

The DVD

Video:
This is a full frame release, evidently the original aspect ratio or a slightly opened up version from an original that was perhaps 1.66:1. There is a fair amount of flicker, especially in the backgrounds, but all in all the detail is fine, with excellent color and contrast.

Sound:
The standard stereo soundtrack is fine, if occasionally indecipherable in the usual Chipmunk way. The songs are uniformly enjoyable, if largely uninspired.

Extras:
There's a gallery of art stills on Disc 1, plus the Original Soundtrack Recording on a separate CD.

Final Thoughts:
Though this is largely a by-the-numbers affair, it's nonetheless recommended for families with younger kids. Rent it first to see if it bears repeated viewings that should make it part of your family's collection.

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"G-d made stars galore" & "Hey, what kind of a crappy fortune is this?" ZMK, modern prophet