The Secret Life of Pets 2 is an animated comedy film produced by Illumination studios and directed by Chris Renaud. It is the sequel to The Secret Life of Pets (2016). The film features the voices of Patton Oswalt, Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate and Harrison Ford in vital roles.
The movie is about Max, a Jack Russell Terrier who lives along with his friend, Duke, a super large shaggy mess of hair Newfoundland Mix at their human owner, Katie and her husband Chuck’s home in New York. Max is very protective of his little human friend, the adorable, Liam, son of Katie and Chuck. He does his best to be with him every single moment, trying to protect him from worldly dangers.
The movie then unfolds into three sub plots. One involves Max finding his courage and acceptance to let Liam try new things in life. The second is about Gidget, a white Pomeranian trying to find Max’s favourite toy after she misplaces it. While the other is about Snowball, a white rabbit – who imagines himself to be a superhero – trying to save a tiger from an evil circus owner.
TSLP2 offers what a usual good animation movie does; excellent dose of humour and fun. The style of animation is visually enchanting and it reminds us of the method adopted in the ‘Despicable Me‘ series (after all, it is the same studio who produced the films). The movie is flooded with dozens of ‘aww’ moments; cute dogs and cats making the plot run forward. Such sequences are enough to make a child laugh out loud.
A scene involving Gidget trying to save Max’s favourite toy is ingenious. She is smart to use ‘distractions and deceptions’ to avoid the wrath of other mean cats. Also, Snowball’s fist fight with the circus owner’s weird monkey is a laugh riot. These tiny animals use their tiny arms and feet to jump around and create a havoc.
The voice acting by every star is good but hands down, it is Kevin Hart as the extremely adorable (and hilariously cute) Snowball rabbit, grabs the limelight. Harrison Ford as Rooster, a welsh sheepdog evokes a persona of a fierce leader. Make sure that you sit until the mid credits scene; Snowball appears again to perform a rap song and it is bound to leave you in splits.