The Secret Life of Pets Review

The Secret Life of Pets

Release Date: 9th August 2016 - Australia

Production Companies

Universal Pictures (presents)

Illumination Entertainment

Dentsu (presented in association with)

Fuji Television Network (presented in association with)

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Animation/Family/

Comedy

Rating: G

Runtime: 91 minutes

Budget: $75,000,000

Box Office Gross: $894,328,469 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Max, a Jack Russell terrier, enjoys his life in Manhattan with his owner as his favourite pet in a spacious apartment building where they live together. One day, his human Kate brings home a sloppy mongrel named Duke, who turns his life upside down.

However, when they discover that an adorable white bunny named Snowball is assembling an army of abandoned pets to take revenge on all the happy-owned pets and their owners, Max and Duke have to team up to thwart the rabbit's plan.

Voice Cast

Louis C.K. - Max

Eric Stonestreet - Duke

Kevin Hart - Snowball

Ellie Kemper - Katie

Jenny Slate - Gidget

Lake Bell - Chloe

Hannibal Buress - Buddy

Bobby Moynihan - Mel

Albert Brooks - Tiberius

Dana Carvey - Pops

Tara Strong - Sweetpea

Chris Renaud - Norman

Michael Beattie - Tattoo

Steve Coogan - Oozone/

Reginald

Crew

Director - Chris Renaud  
Co-Director - Yarrow Cheney

Writers - Cinco Paul, Ken Duario and Brian Lynch

Additional Characters

Creator - Simon Rich

Producers - Janet Healy and Christopher Meledandri

Production/Character Designer - Eric Guillon

General Designers - Phillipe Tilikete, Robin Joseph and Louis Thomas

Art Director/Additional Character Designer -

Colin Stimpson

Additional Character Designers - Ludovic Gavillet,

Tony Siruno and Juliaon Roels

Story Supervisor - Dave Rosenbaum

Animation Directors - Jonathan DelVal

and Julien Soret

Supervising Animators - Nicolas Baudin,

François-Xavier Bologna, Cécile Brossette,

Brecht Debaene, Jean Hémez, Ludovic Roz

and Emmanuel Vergne

Animation Technical Supervisors -

Laurent De la Chapelle and Steve Alves

Computer Graphics Supervisor - Bruno Chauffard

Computer Graphics Co-Supervisor - David Pellé
Layout Supervisor - Regis Schuller
Lighting Supervisor - Thierry Noblet
Shot Finalising Production Supervisors -
Laētitia Grandjean and Nicolas Nepveu

Editor - Ken Schretzmann

Supervising Sound Editor - Dennis Leonard

Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor/

Re-Recording Mixer - David Acord

Dialogue Editors - Cheryl Nardi

and Kimberly Foscato

Re-Recording Mixer - Gary A. Rizzo

Foley Editors - Frank Rinella,

Jim Likowski, Richard Gould and

David Slusser

Foley Artists - Sean England and

Ronni Brown

Music - Alexandre Desplat

Review

The animation company Illumination hasn't slowed down since the success of its beloved Despicable Me franchise. Their latest showcase, THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS, may seem qualified as a harmless, fluffy and colourful CG movie that panders to young animal-loving moviegoers. The only downside is that it lacks heart and soul due to the plot tracing elements that reflect Toy Story. Though the similarities between the two movies are just a coincidence, the graphics are astonishing. The well-scripted humour is a creative match for the whimsical energy of the animation style.

The talents of the movie's star-studded team players, like Louis C.K., Jenny Slate, Lake Bell and Kevin Hart, were also on display. Hart is the most energetic and surprising actor in the ensemble and voices a rabbit, who may seem cute and cuddly but is an antagonist with an inside grudge against humanity and domesticated.

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS may amuse young and old audiences with balanced comedic material and vivid animation. It's been a semi-decent movie that could have been a worthy act to follow the Despicable Me films for its trademark laughter and characters.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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