During a daytime walk, Duke tricks Max into leaving the safety of the dog park. They get into a battle with a group of alley cats and lose their collars. The dogs are subsequently captured by animal control. Duke and Max are on their way to the pound when a furry rabbit Snowball (Kevin Hart) breaks into the truck. Snowball is there to free a member of his sewer squad who had also been captured by animal control. Snowball is the leader of the “Flushed Pets,” a group of anti-human pets who want revenge against humans for being abandoned and mistreated. Duke and Max convince Snowball that they also hate humans and recently killed one. Snowball appreciates their vicious streak and agrees to free them and let them join the Flushed Pets. Once Max and Duke are down in the sewers, they realize they are in way over their heads. Meanwhile, Max’s friends, led by Gidget, are on a mission to find him. Shenanigans ensue.
The Secret Life Of Pets is an adequately entertaining film. There are sufficient hijinks and action to keep young audiences engaged. Moreover, the animators paint Manhattan in rich vibrant colors that will appeal to young and old audiences alike.
The Secret Life of Pets is filled with fun characters and an impressive list of voiceover actors. Jenny Slate, in particular, gives a standout performance as the lovesick, but surprisingly tough Gidget. In addition, Kevin Hart’s turn as a manic, violent bunny rabbit is memorable. Hart’s over the top performance works, but Snowball cannot compare to Eddie Murphy’s Donkey in
Shrek or Robin Williams’ Genie in
Aladdin.
The Secret Life Of Pets, however, is derivative of one of the greatest animated films of all time, Toy Story. Just like in
Toy Story,
The Secret Life Of Pets gives audiences a peek at what happens when humans leave the room. In this instance, it is not toys that come to life, but animals that throw parties, rock out to music, eat turkeys and hang out with their buddies. Max is obviously Woody — the beloved longtime companion. Duke is Buzz Lightyear, the new pet in the house who disrupts the status quo. The various assortment of pets are akin to Andy’s other toys in
Toy Story. You could even say that the “Flushed Pets” in the new movie are akin to Lotso and his gang of mistreated toys in
Toy Story 3. Because of this familiar premise,
The Secret Life of Pets is ultimately a predictable rip-off of a better crafted tale. In a year where we were treated to the likes of
Zootopia and
Finding Dory,
The Secret Life of Pets simply misses the mark and fails to reach the heights of the films that preceded it this year.
The Secret Life of Pets earns a 0.06% rating. I would recommend re-watching
Zootopia,
Inside Out or
The Lego Movie. But if you need to relax in an air-conditioned theater with the family, your kids will probably enjoy it, even if the adult laughs are minimal.
