The Secret Life of Pets

So 'The Secret Life of Pets' is a new release, just out this last weekend, starring Louis CK and Kevin Hart and tells the story of Max, a pampered New York pet living a life a luxury with his owner Katie until one day she comes home with a huge dog named Duke. They don't get along and they end up getting lost in the city, needing to work together to find a way home.

Now my biggest grip with this movie as I exited the theatre on Saturday was I have seen this all before. Toy Story and The Secret Life of Pets are one and the same movie. Something that lives a pampered life, not talking when their owner is around, experiences upheaval when a new toy or dog in this case is introduced and they slowly become the best of friends.

It's paint by numbers, but the colours being used are really really vibrant. Despite the parallels between this and Toy Story I still had a lot of fun. The character of Snowball, a street rabbit hell bent on destroying the establishment, was hilarious! And all the little scenes that show the secret life of the pets are really funny.

It's a great family film for all to enjoy but it doesn't push many boundaries when it comes to subtle adult references like Toy Story or Inside Out. My Grandad was sat with me watching it (because he has been bugging be for ages to take him after months of promotion and great trailers) and he had a whale of a time. If nothing else this movie is laugh filled.

The animation is consistently great and stylistically it's in tune with Despicable Me (the studio did both films) and they almost create a shared universe in that respect.

So just a short one because there really isn't much to say. The animation is great, the vice actors are great, some really funny moments right the way through and the premise is fantastic. Up there with Inside Out and Toy Story. But the thing is it does lack originality and takes so much of its story from the original Toy Story. It's not gonna end up as an instant classic but it's definitely going to be a great day out and a really enjoyable watch for all the family.

The Secret Life of Pets gets a

B-

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