Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

You know there’s a problem when the opening credits are a film’s most exciting sequence. For Cats and Dogs 2, that’s just about where the fun stops. In this sequel to the 2001 talking-animal adventure flick, a group of canine and feline undercover agents reluctantly team up to fight the wrath of the evil and freakishly furless Kitty Galore, from (what else?) taking over the world. Even with such high stakes, it’s hard to take the story seriously. Following the fate of many other sequels, the film offers nothing original, and the few moments of genuine humor are only lazy, repackaged spoofs of decent movies (e.g. a crazed, muzzled cat à la Hannibal Lecter). For the kids, the furry faces and slapstick comedy may be entertaining, but requesting 90 minutes of patience from them might be pushing it. Only the impressive CGI effects and voice-over talents of Bette Midler and James Marsden manage to keep this film alive. Maybe this should be a lesson for the film’s creators; cats and dogs just don’t mix. Feather River Cinemas, Paradise Cinema 7 and Tinseltown. Rated PG