Our take on... The Secret Life of Pets 2
New to home release, this film from Illumination Animation sees them step further away from their reliance on the Minions of “Despicable Me” and their own movie, and instead focus on fresher characters like the returning cast from “The Secret Life of Pets”. While that film was essentially an animal based version of “Toy Story”, the sequel weaves three separate storylines together that gives all the old and new characters time to shine, and in turn gives us a fun, colourful romp that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Following on from the first film, Max (Patton Oswald) finds his life altered when his owner gets married and introduces a child to the house. Max takes his role of protector very seriously, to the point where he tries too hard and ends up having to wear a cone due to his obsessive behaviour. A break to the country and a chance to learn from Rooster, a sheepdog voiced by Harrison Ford, how to not be as much of a helicopter parent, or helicopter pet in this case. At the same time, Gidget (a Pomeranian, voiced by Jenny Slate) has to get a crash course in how to be a cat in order to rescue a lost toy from the apartment of a cat lady.
In a more serious note, Snowball the rabbit (Kevin Hart) and Chloe the cat (Lake Bell) meet Daisy (a Shih Tzu voiced by Tiffany Haddish) who needs their help to rescue her friend who is being held by an abusive circus owner. Needless to say, the three storylines converge to wrap things up neatly at the end.
“The Secret Life of Pets 2” is a thoroughly enjoyable animated comedy that makes great use of its all star voice cast, especially the two newcomers in Harrison Ford and Tiffany Haddish. In his first ever movie voice over, Ford brings some authority and gravitas to Rooster. Haddish already had a great performance in “The Lego Movie 2” under her belt, and she’s very funny here especially in her interplay with Kevin Hart’s Snowball. While it is a film that’s light on messages, it has plenty of laughs especially for kids and pet owners alike.
These are the humorous and honest words of our Kevin Dillon, @kevinwritestuff.
The Secret Life of Pets 2 is available on DVD, 3D and 4K UHD at goldendiscs.ie and in all Golden Discs stores nationwide.
