About the film (courtesy of Universal Pictures):
Terrier Max (Patton Oswalt) is coping with some major life changes. His owner (Ellie Kemper) is now married and has a toddler, Liam. Max is so worried about protecting the boy that he develops a nervous tic. On a family trip to a farm, Max and mutt Duke (Eric Stonestreet) encounter canine-intolerant cows, hostile foxes and a terrifying turkey, all of which only elevates Max’s anxiety. Luckily, Max gets some guidance from veteran farm dog Rooster (Harrison Ford), who pushes Max to ditch his neuroses, find his inner alpha, and give Liam a little more freedom.
Meanwhile, while her owner is away, plucky Pomeranian Gidget (Jenny Slate) tries to rescue Max’s favorite toy from a cat-packed apartment with a little help from her feline friend, Chloe (Lake Bell), who has discovered the joys of catnip. And crazy-but-cute bunny Snowball (Kevin Hart) gets delusions of grandeur that he’s an actual superhero after his owner Molly starts dressing him in superhero pajamas. But when Daisy (Tiffany Haddish), a fearless Shih Tzu, shows up to ask for Snowball’s help on a dangerous mission, he’ll have to summon the courage to become the hero he’s only been pretending to be. Can Max, Snowball, Gidget and the rest of the gang find the inner courage to face their biggest fears?
So you think you know your pets? The Secret Life of Pets 2 will give you a few things to ponder. One thing you don’t need to ponder, just like your real four-legged loves, these animated animals are adorable in every sense of the word. And they’re not only cute, they’re also funny, sassy and everything in between. Once again I have to give props to how Illumination Entertainment captures the very essence of what we’re used to in the real world.
The voice talent is pretty solid. Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart, Eric Stonestreet, Jenny Slate, Lake Bell and Dana Carvey are several of the returnees. Tiffany Haddish and Harrison Ford are the two major newcomers, with The Secret Life of Pets 2 being Ford’s voice acting debut. As expected, Tiffany Haddish can take over a scene in a second and she does just that.
With a very kid-friendly runtime of only 86 minutes, The Secret Life of Pets 2 is paced very well for maximum enjoyment for this type of movie. Your kids should stay connected as well as relatively quiet throughout, well aside from laughter. I found the story itself to be a little flat for my liking but I’m not the intended demographic. That said, the very last sequence during the credits may be the funniest part of this entire movie. It’ll be more entertaining to the adults than the little ones.
The Secret Life of Pets 2 is a fun outing that hits on all of the important notes. There’s enough variety to keep all age groups entertained, and this includes you, adults. Although I enjoyed the first one a bit more, personally, this sequel cannot be accused of just going through the motions. Pet owners will appreciate some of the quirkiness that these animated pets display. This will be a sure-fire good times as a family alternative if you’re thinking of heading out to the theaters this weekend. I’d definitely recommend seeing this one.
