Pawing the spy beat to save the world
(Top to bottom) Butch (voiced by Nick Nolte), Diggs (James Marsden), Catherine (Christina Applegate) and Seamus (Katt Williams) are on the case. (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Cats & Dogs:
The Revenge of Kitty Galore
Running time: 82 minutes
MPAA rating: PG (animal action and humor)
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It's been a pretty ruff summer for live action movies with talking dogs.
"Marmaduke" was definitely yapping up the wrong tree back in June, even with Owen Wilson providing vocal life to the cartoon favorite's live action outing.
Now comes "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," the follow-up to "Cats & Dogs" of 2001. That's an eternity between movies in doggie years, of course. Chances are that the film's target audience of youngsters will have no, or very little connection to the first adventure.
The sequel is bigger and better with animals that really appear to be talking. We can attribute much of that to advancement in technology as much as anything else.
The bottom line is extremely silly cat and dog spy adventure drivel in bits. Some work better than others.
Parents may delight to some extent in the stars and former stars who ham it up giving voice to their respective critters. Veteran songstress Bette Midler gets so far into her vocalization of feline villainess Kitty Galore, for instance, I can almost imagine her coughing up a fur ball at some point.
Also, I never thought I'd hear the lazy, raspy voice of Nick Nolte coming out of an Anatolian Shepherd. But that's the "Affliction" star as Butch, the gruff DOG agent that's been pawing the beat for some time.
Canines and felines are forced to work together to go after evil in this one. Christina Applegate brings an impressive balance of toughness and smarts to Catherine, the agent from rival MEOWS.
We only have to look as far as hairless Ms. Galore and the Bond-like opening credits that rookie feature film director Brad Peyton splashes across the screen to deduce that what comes next will be a heated up Cold War-like spy caper.
The only thing those who missed the original "Cats & Dogs" need to know is that animals talk when humans aren't around. In fact, some of man's best friends and purring kitties have secret lives as elite spies. In addition to fetching balls and rubbing between the legs of their so-called masters, they might just be off on a grand adventure when the humans aren't looking.
Kitty Galore, once a MEOWS agent, has gone rogue. Unless cats and dogs put aside their inborn differences, the evil kitty with the Midler meow might just rule the world with a diabolical plot she's planning.
"Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," available in 3-D (which adds a little pop), will entertain young, inexperienced movie-goers the most.
Know this, parents. You'll need to put on your silly hats as well, or it'll be a long dog (and cat) day afternoon at the movies.
"Marmaduke" was definitely yapping up the wrong tree back in June, even with Owen Wilson providing vocal life to the cartoon favorite's live action outing.
Now comes "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," the follow-up to "Cats & Dogs" of 2001. That's an eternity between movies in doggie years, of course. Chances are that the film's target audience of youngsters will have no, or very little connection to the first adventure.
The sequel is bigger and better with animals that really appear to be talking. We can attribute much of that to advancement in technology as much as anything else.
The bottom line is extremely silly cat and dog spy adventure drivel in bits. Some work better than others.
Parents may delight to some extent in the stars and former stars who ham it up giving voice to their respective critters. Veteran songstress Bette Midler gets so far into her vocalization of feline villainess Kitty Galore, for instance, I can almost imagine her coughing up a fur ball at some point.
Also, I never thought I'd hear the lazy, raspy voice of Nick Nolte coming out of an Anatolian Shepherd. But that's the "Affliction" star as Butch, the gruff DOG agent that's been pawing the beat for some time.
Canines and felines are forced to work together to go after evil in this one. Christina Applegate brings an impressive balance of toughness and smarts to Catherine, the agent from rival MEOWS.
We only have to look as far as hairless Ms. Galore and the Bond-like opening credits that rookie feature film director Brad Peyton splashes across the screen to deduce that what comes next will be a heated up Cold War-like spy caper.
The only thing those who missed the original "Cats & Dogs" need to know is that animals talk when humans aren't around. In fact, some of man's best friends and purring kitties have secret lives as elite spies. In addition to fetching balls and rubbing between the legs of their so-called masters, they might just be off on a grand adventure when the humans aren't looking.
Kitty Galore, once a MEOWS agent, has gone rogue. Unless cats and dogs put aside their inborn differences, the evil kitty with the Midler meow might just rule the world with a diabolical plot she's planning.
"Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," available in 3-D (which adds a little pop), will entertain young, inexperienced movie-goers the most.
Know this, parents. You'll need to put on your silly hats as well, or it'll be a long dog (and cat) day afternoon at the movies.
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