Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 42 minutes
Max, Gidget, and Snowball each go on their own separate adventure where they learn to overcome obstacles to help others.
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| "Every pet knows if you pee on it, you own it." (Image Source) |
Isn't it just wacky that all pets are the same when we leave the house? They all go off and try to save sheep that get caught in trees to learn what it's like to not be afraid! #relatable. "The Secret Life of Pets 2" is directed by Chris Renaud, who has directed numerous Illumination Animation films including "Despicable Me," "The Lorax," and the original "The Secret Life of Pets." Joining this time as co-director is first-time director/former animator/animation director, Jonathan del Val. The story is written by Brian Lynch, who helped write scripts for "Hop," Puss in Boots," and "Minions." Much like the original "Pets," this sequel tells the story of what pets do when their owners are away. It spreads its time between three different adventures. The first involves Max (Patton Oswalt), a Jack Russell Terrier who has become a bit of a worrier and an overprotective nervous wreck since his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) got married and had a kid. During a trip to the countryside, Max must face his biggest anxieties with the help of a stony Shepard named Rooster (Harrison Ford). Meanwhile, Gidget (Jenny Slate) the Pomeranian is at home watching Max's favorite 'busy bee' toy, but when it gets lost in the apartment of an elderly cat lady, Gidget must seek help from Chloe (Lake Bell) the grey tabby to learn how to become a cat so she can navigate the apartment and get the toy back. Finally, Snowball (Kevin Hart) the rabbit has been adopted by a little girl who loves him very much. He has taken on a superhero persona after playing dress-up with his owner and is asked by a Shih Tzu named Daisy (Tiffany Haddish) to free an imprisoned white tiger cub named Hu from the circus that is run by the cruel Russian owner Sergei (Nick Kroll). Who knew these kids movies could be so multifaceted?!
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| "Once the human brings home a kid, everything changes." (Image Source) |
The original "The Secret Life of Pets" was a rather unremarkable but perfectly tolerable animated feature. It had a few fun little gags that reflected the genuine nature of pets and their relationships with their owners along with a hefty dose of pandering to the animal lovers in the house and a cute little adventure about some dogs who need to find their way home. It spelled instant success for Illumination, who greenlit a sequel almost immediately. "The Secret Life of Pets 2" gives audiences more of the same shenanigans as the first film, but with a thick layer of real talk about the dangers of not only helicopter parenting, but apparently the circus, too. We know, it's a strange mix of topics, but it sort of fits together in the end?? The main plot is about Max, who has to learn not to "helicopter parent" "his kid." Not only does it have consequences for the child, who will never learn to do anything because of their hovering parent (err, in this case, dog), but because it is also driving him mad with worry. "The Secret Life of Pets 2" also has a rather dower view of the circus...well, at least the ones run by skinny Russian guys who have a resemblance to Gru from "Despicable Me," and torture tiger cubs for fun. The rest of the movie is filled with sweet moments where pet owners can say "hey, my dog or cat does that!" as they "ooooh" and "awww" while thinking about their furry little friends waiting for them to come home from this totally acceptable and not in any way irksome sequel. This movie is like pet-based internet memes brought to the big screen but with three simple, not all that engaging but overall tolerable stories about pets and their mischief. Most of these stories center on overcoming your fears and learning to rise above difficult situations. It's not entirely surprising or exceptional, but it's palatable, that's for sure.
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| "So many smells I have never smelled before. My nose is so confused and happy!" (Image Source) |
If you or your kids enjoyed the first installment in the "The Secret Life of Pets" franchise, it's not a stretch to assume you'll like this familiar, similar sequel. Trust us, you could do a lot worse than "The Secret Life of Pets 2."
BigJ's Rating: 6/10
IMDB's Rating: ~6.6/10
RT Rating: ~57%
Do we recommend this movie: Sure, why not?
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