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In 2016, Illumination Entertainment took a break from Minion movies to explore the daily adventures of New York City pets in The Secret Life of Pets. And in the follow-up, The Secret Life of Pets 2, the dogs and cats and bunnies and birds and guinea pigs tackle all new challenges.
The sequel catches up with Max (voiced by Patton Oswalt) and his canine brother, Duke (Eric Stonestreet), as they deal with the twists and turns of life. After their owner, Katie (Ellie Kemper), gets married and has a baby, Max begins to suffer from anxiety, constantly worried that the baby is in some kind of horrible danger. Meanwhile, when Max and his family go on a vacation in the country, Gidget (Jenny Slate) loses Max’s favorite toy and sets out to rescue it, while Snowball (Kevin Hart) sets out on a mission to rescue a white tiger from a cruel circus master.
Much like its predecessor, this pet-centric sequel is beautifully animated but a little bit scattered. It once again follows the lovable characters on all kinds of random escapades—whether they’re visiting the animal psychologist, infiltrating the home of a cat lady, or battling circus wolves. Because it’s constantly jumping from one storyline to another, there’s never a dull moment—which means that kids will be entertained from start to finish. But while all of the random little stories play out, the film’s main focus is still on Max, whose trip to the country bears a striking resemblance to City Slickers—complete with its own version of wise old Curly, a no-nonsense farm dog named Rooster (Harrison Ford).
In the midst of all of the silliness, it’s definitely the characters who make this franchise fun. Max is sweet and loyal and a little bit neurotic, and he’s surrounded by all kinds of eccentric four-legged friends (and one feathered one). Each one has a unique personality—from perky Gidget to over-confident Snowball (my daughter’s personal favorite). They might make you stop to think about what kind of personality fits with your own furry friends—and, really, that’s a big part of the film’s charm.
If you’ve ever wondered what your beloved pet does all day while you’re gone, well, this probably won’t give you any new insights. It’s unlikely that your pet bunny is out rescuing tigers while you’re not looking. If you’re looking for a way to entertain the kids during their summer vacation, though, this may not be the most cohesive film, but it’ll definitely do the trick.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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