Perfect pet symmetry
Animal crackers caper is infectiously hilarious
The Secret Life Of Pets Cert U
FURRY foes compete to be top dog in this irresistible animated adventure guaranteed to get your tail wagging.
Audiences will love its manic zeal, infectious sunny mirth and giggly silliness. Created by the daft makers of the Despicable Me movies, Secret Life shamelessly milks brand loyalty to get you into the cinema. So you’re treated to a marvellous mini minion adventure before the film and lots of references to them throughout it.
Max is a Jack Russell terrier who lives in domestic bliss with his owner Katie and considers himself the luckiest dog in New York.
But his happiness is disturbed when Katie brings home another dog and Max has to share his turf with the much larger Duke.
They have plenty of bones of contention but put them aside when they get lost in the big city.
They’re chased by animal catchers, hunted by a revolutionary rabbit and his gang of rampaging recruits. Huge snakes, hungry crocodiles and feral cats add to the madcap chaos.
Meanwhile a posse of friends, including a hawk, a tabby, a budgie and an elderly basset hound on wheels, set out to rescue them. Max and Duke bark, bicker and bond as the action rockets through the city, veering from vertiginous skyscrapers to the depths of the sewers.
There’s violent slapstick, wall-flattening pace and a fabulously funny fantasy in a hot dog factory.
The voice talents of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Steve Coogan and Lake Bell are great fun but my pet hate Kevin Hart never stops shouting and, I suspect, ad libbing.
But be warned, if your kids don’t have a pet now they will want one after watching this.