Writer: Audrey Ker

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Watch this if you liked: Cats & Dogs”, “Marmaduke”, “Beverly Hills Chihuahua”

The animals are at it again! This time around though, instead of a cute (albeit robotic) Persian cat, we have a hairless Sphynx out to take over the world and exact revenge; and she goes by the name of Kitty Galore (cue evil laugh)!

Of course, the dogs can't have it that way and they send a new recruit by the name of Diggs (voiced by James Marsden) and his mentor, Butch (voice of Nick Nolte) to gather information on her sinister plans from a pigeon named Seamus (Katt Williams) who apparently works for Kitty Galore. All hell breaks loose as the mission goes wrong thanks to Diggs' inability to listen to commands and whom do they catch but another cat that works for an organization (conveniently) named MEOWS. Discussions abound and cue the big revelation: cats and dogs (plus one bird) need to work together to bring down Kitty Galore!

Sparing further 'juicy' details, "Cats & Dogs 2" plays a lot on the old adage that cats and dogs don't mix. We get to see so many acts that play on the differences between the canines and the felines. Jokes and plays on names and words are abundant, but some are so obvious it's not really funny. There are however some pretty good 'homages' to certain popular movies, namely "Silence Of The Lambs" and "Terminator". Let's not forget the biggest one of all: the influences from the "James Bond" movies. Even the opening credits bear a slight resemblance to "Casino Royale"!

The CG effects and animation enabling the animals to 'talk' are definitely a step up from its predecessor. 'Bond-like' gadgets (made to fit dogs and cats of course) are the most impressive in the film, but there are some scenes where CG is painfully obvious and fake looking. Still, families and pet lovers will enjoy it because let's admit it: who doesn't like looking at adorable dogs and cats? Especially those that are spies! Kudos should be given to the animal trainers for not only training them to do whatever that was needed for the film, but also to make them look effortless and believable.

All in all, this is a rather mediocre effort if you're looking for an all-out action movie. What it is though is a very light-hearted film that you can bring your kids, younger siblings, nieces or nephews to watch. Just remember to resist their pleads of wanting to get a dog or a cat that can perform what these characters do on-screen!

Cinema Online, 02 September 2010