There's alot of spy territory left to cover in the world of cats and dogs. Photo / Supplied
Rating: 2/5
Verdict: The trailer pretty much covers it.
It might be the most harmless, inoffensive entertainment you'll find for the younger kids these school holidays, but it is unlikely to be the most amusing. A disappointing sequel, despite the cute and clever canines and felines they throw at us (along
with a few unfortunate looking ones), the humour in this animal spy caper falls flat.
It's been nine years since the original Cats and Dogs, so its fans will possibly be too old now for this sequel, which is best suited to those 10 and under. Much like last year's G-Force, this Cats and Dogs is too formulaic and reliant on high-tech equipment and action to make it appealing. Animal spies who can talk just aren't a novelty anymore, and the story needed to offer more than a rip-off of your average espionage film.
There's a heap of celebrity voices to detect, with Bette Midler's performance as Kitty Galore winning best in show. A rogue feline agent with plans to take over the world she's pursued by secret dog agents Butch (Nolte) and Diggs (Marsden), and secret cat agent Catherine (Applegate). Keep an ear out, too, for Roger Moore who stars as, no surprises here, a suave secret agent.
The Bond film references are plentiful, with Midler singing the film's theme song, Pink's Get the Party Started in a Shirley Bassey-style. The opening titles, too, are inspired by Bond film titles, as are the names of several characters and their peculiarities, such as Kitty stroking a pet white mouse throughout the film much as Bond villain Blofeld stroked a white fluffy cat.
Presumably, these references are for the adults which, along with trying to work out whether any of the animals look like the people voicing them (Nick Nolte wins this competition), are a nice distraction from a lacklustre script. Don't be afraid to see this in 3D (there is also a 2D version), as the 3D imagery livens up the action But it's still on the gentler side and easily suitable for the littlies.
Cast: James Marsden, Nick Nolte, Christina Applegate
Director: Brad Peyton
Running time: 85 mins
Rating: G
-TimeOut
