FURRY brothers Alvin, Simon and Theodore return to cinema screens, including Tiverton's Tivoli, in Alvin and The Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel.

Because of a freak accident involving Alvin and Dave Seville, they go to live with Seville's cool cousin Toby and must enrol in school just like every other child.

School presents new challenges to these rock stars, like dealing with peer pressure, school sports and, of course, girls. By "girls" we mean the Chipettes who are managed by Ian Hawke, the Chipmunks' greedy former manager who wants to turn them into the next big thing.

At the outset there is a rivalry between the Chipettes and the Chipmunks but in the end they realise that they make good friends and a great musical team.

Given that Alvin and chums originally started out in 1958 as a trio of high-pitched recording artists, it's only right that this live-action 'squeakquel' should begin with the furry little CG blighters wooing a concert crowd with a raucous Kinks cover. Unfortunately, it's the film's only highlight — if the sight of three furballs murdering 'You Really Got Me' can be considered a highlight.

It seems the film makers simply caught an episode of The X Factor and the recently released Bandslam and thought a premise involving a self-centred Alvin, a rival group of female chipmunks and a college talent contest would prove a mighty good wheeze. And, indeed, that might have been the case had there been any semblance of a story. Instead, what we're offered is a succession of lifeless scenes punctuated by pratfalls.

The Squeakquel is at the Tivoli on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm.