Cats and Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore the follow on to Cats and Dogs sees the old feline and canine rivalry reignited, but this time they must put their differences aside and join forces to try and defeat the evil Kitty Galore and in turn save mankind.
Now before I continue I think it’s only fair that I confess that films with talking animals in are my thing… In fact Incredible Journey; you remember that classic when two dogs (boxer voiceover by Michael J Fox) and a cat get left behind and embark on an epic adventure to get back to their owners, is in my top ten favourites of all time, so it’s a given that I’d find this film purrfect… Or is it…….
Well actually kind of, it’s never going to be a classic, but I think the other reviews of this movie are a little unfair. It is after all made for kids, with clever effects (though perhaps not enough to justify the staggering $85m), a reasonable plot and some talented voiceovers.
It is essentially a straight parody of all those 80s cop comedies (Lethal Weapon, 48 Hrs, Beverly Hills Cop, etc) with the same stereotypical characters… the impetuous cocksure rookie Diggs (James Marsden), the wise veteran and reluctant partner Butch (wonderfully cast as Nick Nolte), the foxy capable female Catherine (Christina Applegate) and not forgetting, the annoying stool pigeon, quite literally.
There are also a ton of references to other films such as Men In Black, Bond and even Silence Of The Lambs which are funny enough to keep the grown ups entertained. Although I’m sure more than a few children were left perplexed as to why a white fluffy cat aka Mr Tinkles was at one point restrained and sporting a face mask!
The film can be a little tedious at times, with a few cringe worthy moments. The implied love thang going on between Diggs (dog) and Catherine (cat) is just plain wrong! But all in all it’s fair to say it’s a good family film, with an abundance of cute cuddly dogs and cats to keep kids glued to the screen and enough humour to warrant a few laughs from the adults. I would happily sit through and watch it again on a Sunday afternoon but it is safe to say it lacks bite and isn’t going to push Incredible Journey off its spot.
Cats and Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore is out on DVD today, 29th November 2010.
Director: Brad Peyton
Cast: Bette Midler, Nick Nolte, Chris O’Donnell, Jack McBrayer
Runtime: 82 min
Country: USA
Film Rating: 
