Review by John M. Delia, Jr
In our world, pets are companions, friends, and family, but in their world things are not always the same. To them we are the providers of food, warmth, and a great place to sleep. Sometimes we change our environment and what happens to our friendly animals can sometimes be uneasy or even down right uncomfortable, but they always seem to adjust. Now we get to know the truth about how our pets feel about the changes they experience in this sequel.
At the end of their last adventure Max (Patton Oswalt), a Jack Russell Terrier, was forced to now share the same owner and somehow make friends with Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a large brown shaggy Newfoundland mix. That story placed them both on a rollercoaster ride that eventually got them together as best friends, but this time they are placed in a different role.
Their Owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) meets a man named Chuck (Peter Holmes), get married, and they have a baby together, putting the task for both Max and Duke on a different level. Max not fond of kids, has him wondering what to do next, while Duke is excited about the whole ordeal. The escapades continue for these two when they go out to the country to visit family and see what life beyond the city is like. Here Max meets, Rooster (Harrison Ford) a Welsh Sheepdog that keeps things under control on the farm.
In the meantime Max’s other friends, Snowball (Kevin Hart) a white rabbit and former flushed pet, Gidget (Jenny Slate) a white Pomeranian, Chloe (Lake Bell), a morbidly obese and apathetic grey tabby cat, Norman (Chris Renaud) a guinea pig, Buddy (Hannibal Buress) a laid back dachshund, Pops (Dana Carvey) an elderly Basset Hound who is paralyzed in his back legs, and Mel (Bobby Moynihan) a hyperactive pug, find other adventures together, that involve an evil circus owner named Sergei (Nick Kroll). Here they meet Daisy (Tiffany Haddish) a Shih Tzu, who wants to rescue a White Tiger from Sergei things go a little crazy from there.
Directors Chris Renaud and Jonathan del Val do an excellent job developing the multiple stories that go on throughout. Interweaving the key points to each story and then eventually blending them all together, they bring it to a spectacular conclusion. Chris and Jonathan capture the true spirit of each pet and express it very well on screen. Depicting the specific traits of each animal, the cat, the dog, the guinea pig, and all the rest of the lovably creatures, remind us why we love them so much. All an all this is an exceptional film for all ages which includes a lot of fun that will make you laugh and have you wanting more.
Final Comment: I based my grade on the fantastic storyline, an outstanding depiction of each character, and a wonderful over-all enjoyable experience. 4 out of 5 Stars
Additional Film Information
Cast: Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart, Eric Stonestreet, Jenny Slate, Tiffany Haddish, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress, Chris Renaud, Ellie Kemper, Nick Kroll, and Harrison Ford.
Directed by: Chris Renaud, and Jonathan del Val
Genre: Animated, Adventure, Comedy, and Family
MPAA Rating: Rated PG for some action and rude humor
Running Time: 1 hour and 26 minutes
Release Date: Â June 7, 2019
Distributed By: Universal Pictures
Release In: Standard, Dolby Surround, Dolby Digital