“THE SECRET Life of Pets” is diverting and pleasant despite unoriginal elements.
It’s “Toy Story” meets “Babe,” but “The Secret Life of Pets” focuses on the hidden interactions of an assortment of animals in New York, offering an adventure that, while exceedingly relatable, is also overly familiar.
Rambunctious mutt Max (voiced by Louis C.K.) is devoted to his human master Katie (Ellie Kemper), who eventually brings home another dog: the huge, lumbering Duke (Eric Stonestreet). The new “brothers” hate each other off the bat—until circumstances force them to rethink their mutual animosity.
Max and Duke, despite their differences, have common antagonists, after all. A day in the busy city streets brings them face to face with territorial stray cats, as well as the secret world of rejected, dejected critters. The crummy sewer-dwellers, led by the revenge-obsessed but adorable rabbit Snowball (Kevin Hart), expose them to the less-savory side of the animal kingdom that many sheltered dogs are unaware of.
Co-directed by Yarrow Cheney and Chris Renaud, the film is undeniably cute and heartwarming, but it isn’t exactly original, visual- and story-wise.
There’s an appealing fusion of caricaturish designs with realistic texture and gorgeous detail—like stuffed animals coming to life, but that’s been done before (think “Madagascar” and “Ice Age”). And a family-friendly, secret world happening without the humans’ knowledge has been done exceptionally well by the aforementioned “Toy Story” many times over. Even “Wreck-It Ralph” profoundly examined bonds that bind in a familiar but magical realm unnoticed by people.
Despite some dizzying shifts in allegiances, inconsequential encounters, and a multitude of characters, the various pets and pests are nevertheless mostly likeable, and the shady ones prove themselves open to redemption.
It’s still diverting and pleasant, catchily bookended by Taylor Swift’s “Welcome to New York” and Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day.”
The odd-couple analogies and familial elements may not be new, but the film endearingly illustrates the relationship forged between pets and their loving humans.