More cuteness and a lot of angst in the new sequel The Secret Life of Pets 2. The animated family film returns adding a few new characters and some new locations. In this one you’ll get treated to Katie and Chuck’s new baby, a farm dog named Rooster, a circus owner’s white tiger, the downstairs cat lady, some angry wolves and more. Still getting in a lot of trouble, the cast of many are fun to watch.
We pick up where the last one ended and find Max and Duke comfortable in their surroundings and love the park excursions where they get all the dope on “the good life”. But it’s all not hunky dory as they find out what rascals human kids can be. And, it’s not long when Katie announces a new arrival and it’s a baby boy. Interesting at first to both Max and Duke, but they do see less attention to their needs.
That said, the gang in the apartment complex is still going strong with Snow Ball now settled into a better social network and having big ideas of being a superhero. You’ll get a kick out of Chloe and Gidget who are on hand to pick up the pieces when the boys find time to mess up. And then there’s a lot of action on a farm and at the circus where Max and Duke find themselves in a whole lot of trouble involving the freeing of an adorable white tiger.
Mom’s, it’s a lot of fun watching the gang of animated animals and for sure the youngsters will love it even more. Bring along some cheerios for the littlest to nibble on during the slow developing scenes and make sure the kids can see over the heads in front of them. Although this sequel is very imaginative, the first one was more magical and exciting since you were not aware of the quirks and comical traits of each of the characters. So just go with the reactions from your kids that should be enough to make your day.
The Secret Life of Pets 2 has been rated PG for action and rude humor. There are scenes of sneering wolves and some peril so keep your youngest close to you during the movie. The film does get a little disrespectful and defiant at times so be prepared for those adjectives. The film ends on a sweet note and leaves it open up for a future chapter.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A fun film for the target audience. (4 out of 5 Stars)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Harrison Ford, Patton Oswalt, Eric Stonestreet, Jenny Slate, Lake Bell, Hannibal Buress, Nick Kroll, Dana Carvey, Ellie Kemper, Pete Holmes, Garth Jennings, Bobby Moynihan
Directed by: Chris Renaud
Genre: Comedy, Animated, Family
MPAA Rating: PG for some action and rude humor
Running Time: 1 hr. 26 min.
Opening Date: June 7, 2019
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Released in: Standard, 3D, Dolby Cinema
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
