Continuing the story of Max and his pet friends, following their secret lives after their owners leave them for work or school each day.
Saying that this movie is “fun for the whole family” is a pretty broad statement but it genuinely is fun for all ages. The jokes are always on target and while the kids will get the majority of them, there are a few thrown in there for the adults. The animation is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, especially New York City and its bustling streets, making it even more enticing than the real thing.
The story picks up after the first film where our main protagonist, Max (Patton Oswalt), a Jack Russell Terrier, is happily living in New York City with his best friend Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a large, shaggy Newfoundland mix and his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper). When Katie gets married and has a baby boy named Liam, everything changes. Initially, Max isn’t bothered by Liam as he spends most of his days sleeping but then he hits that age when all he does is cry and make noise. Eventually, Max falls for Liam and becomes his bodyguard, walking with him everywhere he goes.
Next door to Max lives Snowball (Kevin Hart), a white furry rabbit who considers himself a courageous and intrepid superhero named Captain Snowball. When a fearless Shih Tzu named Daisy (Tiffany Haddish) appears on Snowball’s doorstep, she tells him that an exotic tiger cub named Hu is being held against his will at a traveling Russian circus in town. Snowball and Daisy make their way down to the circus and manage to rescue Hu but when they bring him back to Snowball’s apartment, they realize they need a bigger place.
While Snowball and Daisy are dealing with the tiger cub, Max’s owner Katie and her husband and Liam take their first road trip to see Katie’s uncle who lives on a farm in the country. Max and Duke tag along and while Duke falls in love with the country, Max is quite the opposite, preferring the hustle and bustle of the big city to all the strange noises and unfamiliar animals on the farm. While there, they meet Rooster (Harrison Ford), a sardonic herding sheepdog who calls the shots. In the beginning, Max feels intimidated by him but when a lamb goes missing, Rooster brings Max with him on his mission to find the lamb and return it to its flock. When they finally discover the lamb on a branch hanging over a cliff, Rooster states that because he is too big, Max has to be the one to go and rescue him. Gradually overcoming his fear of heights, he saves the lamb, with a little help from Rooster. Heading back to the farm, Max feels proud of his new accomplishment and feels ready to take on the world.
Back in the city, the evil Russian circus owner has tracked down Hu and takes him to his train as the circus is getting ready to leave the city and when Max and Duke finally make it back home, Snowball and Daisy request their help in getting Hu back. Max and Duke agree and along with the rest of their neighborly animal friends, they catch up with the train and take on all the bad guys, one by one, until Hu is rescued and placed with an old cat lady.
What sets the film apart from its predecessor is its heart. In the beginning, when Max is in the park with Duke and Katie, he can’t stand all the noisy children around him, bothered by their constant shouting and screaming and laughing but when Liam comes along, Max is afraid that he will take Katie’s love and affection away from him but then the unthinkable happens; he falls in love with Liam. He becomes his protector and suddenly, it’s not about Max anymore, it’s all about Liam. The bond that forms feels genuinely authentic and for an animated feature, that is quite an impressive feat. But it also rings true. How many times has a mother brought a newborn baby home from the hospital only for her pets to inspect it with investigative curiosity? It makes you wonder what they’re really thinking. “The Secret Life of Pets 2” triumphs because of its honesty but also because it never panders to its young audience, it treats them with the respect they deserve and that is why it succeeds.
In theaters Friday, June 7th
