The Secret Life Of Pets 2

How many times have we got that “Are you a dog or a cat person” question? Way too many probably. There’s always the battle about who’s the best and the smartest.

However, we’re pretty sure that the people who love their furry cat and the ones who adore their barking dog will come together and rejoice again as director Chris Renaud (“The Secret Life of Pets“, “Despicable Me 2”) brings his pet friends back to the big screen. “The Secret Life of Pets 2” turns out to be a beautiful, relaxing and family film that will be loved by young and old.

On the tunes of ‘New York’ by Alicia Keys, “The Secret Life of Pets 2” starts in an uplifting and lighthearted way.

For those who haven’t seen the first movie, it’s about dog Max and his friends living in New York and going on different adventures.

While living a careless existence, Max’s life is going to be turned upside down drastically. His boss Katie is pregnant with her first child and not long after baby Liam is born, Max and Liam become inseparable.

When Max and his family are on holiday, Gidget is babysitting his favourite toy but when she loses it, she has to face her worst nightmare: A house full of ferocious cats.

To think like a cat, you have to become one and she’s transforming herself into her biggest enemy. While Max is guarding Liam with his life and Gidget becoming a cat, Snowball is finding his alter-ego, Captain Snowball.

Battling the dark evil threatening New York and its animals, he has to overcome the biggest challenge yet: Saving a white tiger from the hands of a malicious circus owner. Are our super furry animals able to complete their mission or will it be mission impossible?

Yes, a film about speaking animals who are saving the world seems just one for children but adults will like this movie too. Mostly because of the humour and the conversations, which are more mature than you would expect.

It’s not only about making silly faces or childish talk but there’s also some room for life questions (“how to conquer your fears”, “do animals really belong in a circus”, etc.).

Don’t get us wrong, “The Secret Life of Pets 2” is everything but philosophical but there are some nuances that children might not get. Also, the more adult feelings such as bringing your kid to school for the very first day or seeing your kid growing up too fast can be very relatable.

Especially when you’re a parent watching this film with your own child(ren). The movie also shares its love for the traditional comic books in the way the adventures of Captain Snowball are being represented in this film. It brings a sense of nostalgia to “The Secret Life of Pets 2”.

Of course, it’s also the way the film was made that gives a welcoming feeling. While watching a relaxing animation film, you might tend to forget how much manpower is behind the making of it (and every film in general).

A massive thumbs up to everyone who was a tiny part of animations, visual effect, art, and special effects department and who made “The Secret Life of Pets 2” look so gorgeous.

The animations are beautifully created but it wouldn’t be a complete film without the voices and the actors behind them. Due to sexual harassment claims, comedian Louis C.K. (“American Hustle”, “Blue Jasmine”) was replaced by Patton Oswalt (“Please Stand By“, “Young Adult”) to bring Max to life and Oswalt does it in style as he delivers a funny and goofy performance.

He’s not the only newbie in town as Tiffany Haddish (“Girls Trip”, “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part“) is voicing the adventurous, smart and stylish dog Daisy for the first time.

A lot of the actors from “The Secret Life of Pets” return in this sequel such as Kevin Hart (“Ride Along”, “Central Intelligence”) as Snowball, Eric Stonestreet (“The Loft”, “Identity Thief”) as Duke and Lake Bell (“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse“, “Home Again”) as Chloe.

After the success of the first one, Max, Snowball, Gidget and their friends are back. It’s being predicted that the movie will have an openings weekend of $65 million in the US and it would be no surprise if the film has a similar start in the UK. “The Secret Life of Pets 2” is a relaxed, funny and playful film that will be adored by both cat and dog lovers, no matter your age.