Review of The Secret Life of Pets (2016) by Junelkean — 10 Jan 2018

What are the things that pets do when their owners are away? Of course, that is a secret, but this movie shows us just that. Produced by Illumination Entertainment, the studio that brought us the Despicable Me movies, "The Secret Life of Pets" tells the story of the dog Max (C.K) and his new-found frienemy Duke (Stonestreet) who must find their way home after being lost on the busy streets of New York.

Its cast of characters feature a wide range of fluffy and furry pets doing series of juvenile gags and hyperactive chases in the whole movie. However, these characters seem to be underused and weakly-utilized to the entirety of the story. As if they are just here to sell them as toys in McDonalds, instead of doing something useful to the plot.

Fortunately, this movie is supported with amazing visuals, vibrant colors and art designs, letting the light atmosphere shine all over the screen. Plus, you could also hear the voice of Albert Brooks as one of the animals, which is always a pleasure to listen to.

VERDICT: Five year-olds may hail The Secret Life of Pets as the “best movie ever”, but it never reaches out to mature audiences, unlike what Disney's "Zootopia" and Pixar's "Finding Dory" did.