Set in New York City, this computer-animated sequel to the 2016 original revolves around Jack Russell Terrier Max (Patton Oswalt) and his adopted Newfoundland mix brother Duke (Eric Stonestreet). Stressed-out Max has become overly protective of his owners’ young son Liam (Henry Lynch), who is getting ready for pre-school. But before schools starts the parents (Ellie Kemper, Pete Holmes) are preparing for a weekend in the country. And that means Max must leave his favorite Busy Bee squeaky toy in the care of Gidget (Jenny Slate), a flirtatious Pomeranian, who promptly loses it and turns to the cat Chloe (Lake Bell) for help. Meanwhile, Max, Duke, and Liam are coping with their first visit to a real farm, the undisputed domain of a stately Welsh sheepdog named Rooster (Harrison Ford), who teaches Max about facing his fears and finding courage. In an unrelated segment back in the city, superhero bunny Snowball (Kevin Hart) joins sassy Shih Tzu Daisy (Tiffany Haddish) in an attempt to rescue a timid white Siberian tiger cub from a cruel circus trainer (Nick Kroll). Juggling various sprawling storylines, director Chris Renaud has once again assembled an excellent voice cast. As the protagonist, Oswald seamlessly replaces disgraced comic Louis C.K., while Ford steals the show as gruff Rooster. A sweetly silly slapstick tale—albeit scattershot and not terribly original—this will find favor with the intended young audience. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the behind-the-scenes featurettes “Character Pods” (17 min.), “How to Draw” (8 min.), “A Tapestry of a Tail” (7 min.), “Pets with Jobs” (7 min.), “A Party Fit for a Pet” (7 min.), “The Further Adventures of Captain Snowball” (7 min.), “Production Pets” (6 min.), “Frame by Frame: How to Make a Flip Book” (5 min.), “Lyric Videos” (5 min.), “Relax the Cat: The Secret Life of Pet Massage” (4 min.), “My Buddy and Me” (4 min.), “Pops' Puppy Training School with Kevin Hart” (3 min.), and “Pat's Yule Log” (2 min.), as well as the mini-movies “ “Minion Scouts” (4 min.) and “Super Gidget” (4 min.), and a “making-of” for the mini-movies (5 min.), plus deleted scenes (2 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so sequel.] (S. Granger)
The Secret Life of Pets 2
Universal, 86 min., PG, DVD: $34.99, Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $39.99, Aug. 27 Volume 34, Issue 5
The Secret Life of Pets 2
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