FILM REVIEWThe Secret Life of PetsDirectors: Chris Renaud and Yarrow CheneyStars: Eric Stonestreet, Louis CK, Kevin HartShowing: Hoyts, Sun TheatreRating: ★★★

By EMILT BURKHARDT

The Secret Life of Pets is a modern, fun and vibrant take on what the lives of everyday house pets might be like.

Energetic terrier Max (Louis CK) is leading a happy life until his owner Katie brings home a new dog – the ginormous Duke (Eric Stonestreet). One sunny day in New York City, their walk in the park spirals out of control when they join a gang of abandoned stray pets on a quest.

What follows is an out-of-control adventure as Max and Duke’s friends fight to get them back.

With beautiful technicolour animation and a series of death-defying chase scenes through winding city streets, there isn’t a dull moment. Audiences are taken on an emotional rollercoaster that will make pet owners want to hug their pets just a little bit tighter when they get home.

But unfortunately, The Secret Life of Pets is lacking the spark that would take it from average to awesome.

Aside from the extreme and often life-threatening things that this rag-tag group of pets get into, the biggest pitfall of this film comes from some awkward narrative points where the story seems a bit rushed.

For instance, the rivalry between Max and Duke is not given time to properly manifest before it is resolved, so that they can work together to escape gangs and animal control and find their way home.

The fundamentals of family narratives are expressed in the development of Max and Duke’s friendship, although sometimes this also seemed a little forced.

In particular,  the short reference to Duke’s previous owner and his life before being in the pound was not well developed, making it a painfully obvious plot device.

Although the narrative felt disjointed and forced at times, the crazy array of characters and animal species are the true heroes of the film. Both kids and parents are guaranteed to love and relate to them.

First, crazy comes in the cute, bunny form of Snowball. Voiced by comedy royalty Kevin Hart, his amusingly villainous monologues make for lots of fun. 

Another standout character is emotionally indifferent fat cat Chloe. Voiced by TV comedy alumnus Lake Bell, she delivers some of the most memorable one-liners.

Her lack of willpower and carefree attitude plays on funny cat stereotypes in a clever way, but is also a welcome contrast to the intense canine energy of the main characters.

Arguably the best of the dogs is lovesick puffball Gidget. Her transition from sweet little thing who lovingly pines after Max to butt-kicking heroine is admirable.

There is no denying The Secret Life of Pets has moments where the animal’s comedic timing will put a smile on your face, but it lacks the intense life lessons found in animations such as Inside Out and Zootopia, and this means the film is unable to really impact on viewers in a memorable way.

Following the success of the Despicable Me franchise, Illumination Entertainment was looking to hit another home run with The Secret Life of Pets, but unfortunately they only just reached second base.

The humour and personality of the animals laid a great foundation but it lacked the cohesiveness to really make it a standout in this genre.