When The Secret Life of Pets premiered in 2016, it was a surprising delight. This quirky and humorous film followed a group of household animals on a series of escapades throughout New York City. It resonated with audiences and critics alike, proving to be an unexpected hit.
However, despite its success, The Secret Life of Pets was not a movie that necessarily demanded a sequel. The original film concluded its narrative quite satisfyingly. Yet, in Hollywood, successful films are often seen as opportunities for further exploitation, regardless of whether a sequel is warranted. The Secret Life of Pets 2 exemplifies why this approach can be problematic. While it brings back the familiar and talented voice cast, including Patton Oswalt as the anxious Max (taking over from Louis CK), Eric Stonestreet as the lovable, dim-witted Duke, Lake Bell as Chloe, the film’s highlight with her deadpan humor, and Jenny Slate as the energetic Pomeranian Gidget, the sequel ultimately falls short. This time, the narrative is split into three distinct storylines: Max and Duke go on a farm trip, encountering Rooster, a stern Welsh Sheepdog voiced by Harrison Ford; Gidget embarks on a mission to a cat-filled house to recover a toy for Max; and Snowball the rabbit, voiced by Kevin Hart, now believes he’s a superhero and joins Daisy, a Shih Tzu voiced by Tiffany Haddish, to rescue a tiger cub from an abusive circus owner (Nick Kroll).
While the premise holds potential, The Secret Life of Pets 2 lacks the charm and depth of its predecessor. The decision to separate the core group of characters diminishes the camaraderie that was central to the first film’s appeal. The humor also feels less sharp and original. Although there are moments of genuine laughter, the overall comedic impact is weaker, making it less memorable and less likely to be rewatched compared to the original. Gidget and Chloe’s feline-filled adventure is moderately amusing, but the Snowball and Daisy plotline is largely forgettable. The most significant issues, however, lie within Max’s storyline, which unfortunately serves as the film’s primary focus.
Max’s narrative arc suffers from remarkably slow pacing and questionable writing choices. In these films, Max is characterized by his anxiety, which is amplified by his owners having a baby, leading him to become excessively protective. He is even taken to a pet psychiatrist. While the idea of pet psychiatry can be seen as whimsical, the film seems to exploit Max’s anxiety for comedic effect. The other animals in the psychiatrist’s office are depicted as eccentric and bordering on insane, culminating in a bizarre scene with cats who ominously declare “we start fires”. While intended to be humorous, it misses the mark and feels unsettling rather than funny.
Adding to the problematic portrayal of Max’s anxiety, he is fitted with a cone to curb his nervous scratching. Rooster, the farm dog, ridicules Max for wearing the cone, promoting a hyper-masculine attitude that dismisses Max’s anxieties as weakness. Rooster’s philosophy centers on the idea that Max simply needs to be “tougher” instead of addressing the underlying causes of his fears. Perhaps it’s over-analyzing a cartoon, but in contemporary society, the message that mental well-being is achieved merely by being tougher, without acknowledging or resolving root issues, is questionable. Children’s films often revolve around characters overcoming fears, but these fears are typically external and not mocked, unlike Max’s deeply felt anxieties.
Even setting aside the questionable psychological themes, The Secret Life of Pets 2 simply fails to engage on many levels. Despite having the same writing and directing team as the original, the sequel feels uninspired, relying heavily on tired tropes instead of original ideas and employing lazy metaphors to advance the plot. The film lacks excitement, and during the screening, the audience, largely composed of children, remained unusually quiet, with many kids becoming restless. This audience reaction speaks volumes, suggesting that The Secret Life of Pets 2 is better suited for home viewing rather than a theatrical experience. Although the film is relatively short at 86 minutes, it feels considerably longer due to its tedious pacing in parts. While it offers a few scattered laughs, its pacing and underlying messages frequently make it feel like the antithesis of what a good children’s film should be.
